Under the theme “Feeding the Multitude,” the Church Educational System (CES) conference for 27 principals from Pacific and Central American areas was held at BYU-Hawaii from April 24 to 27.
The conference was held to accomplish the three-core missions for the principals to take and implement in their schools:
1. Improve vision and performance in the classroom
2. Engage in school education
3. Meet the standards of the country
BYUH President John S. Tanner welcomed the principals with his vision and sentiments from his educational experiences.
He started by saying how presidents or principals should be servants and teachers of those whom they serve, calling himself a teacher rather than an administrator.
Steve Mauigoa, a principal of a primary school in Samoa, said an efficient educational system is where “instructional leaders… go and teach our teachers to teach our students.”
To those principals who have responsibilities in the church schools, President Tanner addressed the importance of focusing on spiritual aspects such as prayer in their own lives, especially when they must make decisions on their own.
Thomas Forsgren, the principal of Academia Juarez Middle and High School in Mexico, said, “Most of the schools for the church are out in the Pacific islands, and we are the only school in Mexico. The [conference] benefits me because I’m able to meet with other principals from other schools to see what they are doing.”
Forsgren said sometimes it can be a “lonely job,” but talking with other principals allows him to understand how they handle certain situations. “It’s a huge benefit talking to other people who are going through similar experiences.”
Having learned from the meeting, Forsgren said he’d like to “improve teaching strategies… to motivate students. Trying to teach in a way [where] students are motivated to do their best is one of my bigger struggles right now.”
Banririe Nenebwati, the principal of Moroni High School in Kiribati, said the meeting was a great opportunity to get ideas on how to “match the level of [academics] at [BYUH].”
Nenebwati said, “I want to let the Kiribati students [know] that they should be consistent in their studies and strive to be their best.”
Etta Taumatolo, the principal of Saineha High School in Tonga, mentioned she felt the duty to “raise the level of performance as a leader” through attending the conference.
“I definitely believe that what I learned from this meeting would help me as an instructional leader to inspire my teachers in their roles and ensure that quality learning [should] take place,” she said.
“Our students are the focus of everything we do. We are here to help them achieve goals they might set for themselves. I definitely believe that education takes a great role in accomplishing the mission and also hastening the work of the Lord.”
Concerning educational goals in Tonga, Taumatolo said, “Our goal is to ensure that English is spoken throughout the campus because that would help the [students] improve English proficiency.”
Harvalence Sekona, the principal of Liahona Middle School in Tonga, also said the language barrier is an obstacle for many of her students. “We feel we are preparing our students even though they are in the middle school. We are preparing them to come to BYUH, to serve missions and to receive temple blessings,” she said.
Taumatolo also said a desire to further education is required for students to learn and grow, and that desire starts within the walls of their homes. “Education is the means to find better lives in the future. We have to get the parents educated to get the same passion.”
Sekona said the meeting was able to give her comfort in knowing other administrators around her are confronted similar situations.
“I feel very fortunate to have other educators with me. They opened my eyes. I learned from their experiences and what they shared. I’d like to take [those experiences] back with me to my school,” she said.
Writer: Gosuke Kawano