Earlier this year, The Salvation Army Southern Africa Territory partnered with Dr Alison Willis and the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia for an Education Recovery project. Alison conducted professional development teaching sessions about the effects of stress and trauma on learning. The sessions were held at Carl Sithole Centre and were attended by Central Divisional Leaders, Majors Annanias and Sengeziwe Nhandara, ECD Educators and Officer Administrators, as well as Educators from the Bethany Combined School, also based at Carl Sithole in Soweto. We were privileged to have a delegation of Officers and an Educator from Mocambique Territory, led by their TPWM Colonel Fikile Khoza, join us for training during the week and also to participate in the project.
In these training sessions, we all learnt how the brain can be modified by stress but how it can also heal in healthy communities. The human brain is very social, and by participating in functional communities (like corps and school), neural structures can be rewired over time. This scientific knowledge, although relatively new to scientific literature, is not new to God; as there is much Scriptural evidence for the “renewing of the mind.”
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Ephesians 4:21-23 (NLT)
The College for Officer Training was also privileged to host Dr Alison Willis and her husband Daniel Willis, for a morning of teaching sessions and a ‘brainstorm’ afternoon around curriculum design that included input from key stakeholders such as Commissioner Deisie Eliasen (TPWM) and Lt-Colonel Nokuthula Mahlobo (TSWM). In the morning, the Training Principal/Leader Development Secretary Captain Owen Mutize and CFOT Tutors discussed effective teaching strategies for engagement facilitated by Dr Alison Willis, while the Divisional Social Programme Secretary, Major Colleen Huke and Officer Administrators engaged with Mr Daniel Willis who led a session of sharing and motivational teaching for social mission.
The partnership between the Salvation Army and the University of the Sunshine Coast has generated some very interesting research outcomes. A recent survey about Education recovery has shown that education can be disrupted by many things, including a lack of finances, pandemic shutdowns, the death of family members resulting in young people taking up work to look after the family, civil unrest, natural disasters, and violence.
Interviews were conducted by Dr Alison Willis throughout the week, and online surveys were completed around the territory prior to her arrival, in order to assist her Education Recovery research. Survey participants were asked to identify what knowledge and skills were affected by disruptions. The top three things negatively affected by disruptions were science knowledge and skills (76%), mathematics knowledge and skills (68%) and research skills (67%). See Table 1 for a full list of negative impacts of learning and education.
Table 1. Knowledges and skills negatively impacted by disruptions to education.
| Knowledge and Skills | % of negative impact |
| Reading | 58.33% |
| Writing | 49.15% |
| Participating in conversations | 61.01% |
| Public speaking | 55.93% |
| Mathematics | 67.80% |
| Science | 75.86% |
| Social sciences (history, geography, law and politics) | 63.64% |
| Research – collecting and analysing information | 67.28% |
| Technology | 56.14% |
| Critical thinking (making judgements and evaluating) | 58.62% |
| Social skills – ability to relate to and interact with others | 55.93% |
| Problem solving | 53.44% |
| Personal management (e.g. getting your work done on time) | 62.71% |
Interestingly, sometime education disruptions had positive effects on participants’ knowledge and skills. The most common positive effects included:
- Critical thinking (22%)
- Problem solving (21%)
- Social skills and personal management (18%)
- Participating in conversations and creativity (15% respectively).
When participants were asked about how disruption affected their personal attributes, 52% agreed that their confidence has been affected. The next most common affected personal attribute was “ability to focus and self-regulate” (49% agree). See Figure 1 for details.
Figure 1. The effects of education disruptions on personal attributes.
One of the most encouraging findings from the survey was the very important role that church leaders play in helping people overcome disruptions to their education. Figure 2 shows that after parents, church leaders are the second most influential people in education recovery. This emphasises the importance of family and church communities, and shows the impact of Salvation Army Officers in the Southern African Territory. This is a very heartening finding, as often the fruit of the work of church leaders is not easily measured.
Figure 2. People who encourage you to grow and learn.
| Answer | % |
| A parent | 30.00% |
| An older sibling | 7.78% |
| Another family member | 13.33% |
| A friend | 6.67% |
| A church leader | 22.22% |
| A psychologist or social worker | 3.33% |
| Another important person | 10.00% |
| I can’t think of anyone | 6.67% |
| Total | 100% |
How people recover their education after disruption is also very interesting. Take heart, Salvationists, the most popular strategy was prayer, followed by story telling! These strategies are accessible to all of us, irrespective of limited financial resources.
Eighty-seven percent of survey participants agreed that prayer, meditation, relaxation exercises were effective recovery strategies. Story telling was the next most highly ranked strategy that aided recovery:
- Stories from people who shared the same experience (73% agree)
- Stories from teachers who shared the same experience (65%)
- Stories from family members who shared the same experience (59%).
Participants shared experiences of using prayer as a coping strategy:
I was laughed at after I presented a speech, but I never took that to heart because it gave me the courage to trust myself and stay bold. I prayed about it.
A friend encouraged me to continue reading and striving for my goal, to study more to reach my dream. A Pastor (Officer) prayed with me and encouraged me to continue trusting and believing in God.
In conclusion, we would like to extend thanks and gratitude to all those who participated in the research project by way of an in-person interview or completion of the online survey as well as those who attended the teaching sessions and more importantly continue to implement all that they have learnt. We especially want to acknowlege those who hosted workshops and our guests from both Australia and Mocambique, making them feel so warmly welcome in the Southern Africa Territory.
“For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work, and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” Hebrews 6.10 (NIV)
This article was prepared by Dr Alison Willis and Major Colleen Huke.