His passion for teaching cost him a leg, but he never gave up

By Darious Magara

He came, he saw and worked exceptionally. After clocking 60 years of age, it was time for Saverio Asindua to dust chalk off his hands and retire. He retired at the end of last year after working for over three decades in the education sector. 

Asindua started work in 1975 at Obi Primary School in Arua district, where he taught for three years before being appointed acting head teacher. He held the acting position for 23 years before he was confirmed as the substantive head teacher.

Asindua later headed three other primary schools, that is, Owayi, Imvepi and Yiddu all in Arua district. “Asindua was an excellent head teacher. His presence at the schools led to infrastructural overhauls,” says Gabriel Akutia, one of Asindua’s former students.

“He was a simple and down-to-earth teacher and leader, who knew how to explain different concepts well,” Akutia adds.

Asindua also made tremendous changes in all the primary schools he headed. Another former pupil, Augustine Alinda, whom Asindua taught between 1975 and 1982 at Obi Primary School, says Asindua was professional in his job.

“He was smart, orderly, exemplary and humble,” Alinda adds. Simon Onzima, another former pupil, says Asindua instilled discipline in pupils.

Asindua says his father Alfonsio Agabu and his aunt Natalia Omale, who were both teachers inspired him to join the profession.

Asindua mainly taught English in upper primary classes. He used to say if the language was not taught well, students were destined to fail.

Teachers too benefitted from his generosity. Many times, he would go out of his way to support new teachers; a reason why most of them see him as their ‘father’.

But his road in the teaching service has not always been smooth. In 2009, he was involved in a motor accident in which he fractured his leg. He was travelling on the back of a pick-up truck as he went to collect teachers’ salaries at the end of the month.

His leg, which was hanging out of the overloaded cabin, was hit by a bicycle rider. Asindua fractured his bones and never fully recovered. He now limps as a result of the accident.

But that did not kill Asindua’s passion for teaching and supporting teachers until he retired recently. Due to his physical disability, he cannot engage in agriculture as he would have desired. Asindua is contemplating volunteering in one of the schools in his village.

He advises teachers to pay attention to their work, be disciplined and to be passionate about their work. However, Asindua is not happy with the remuneration of teachers in Government schools, which he blames for the high rate at which teachers are leaving the profession.

He calls for a pay rise as the best way to reduce attrition. Asindua has left a mark of commitment, hardwork and excellent performance. He is revered in his community as an education pillar and a man who gave his best to ensure that children in his community got the best education.

FACT FILE

He was born in 1952 to Agabu and Onirata Drateru in Owayi village in Terego county in West Nile.

He went to Lotonga Primary School, before joining St Mary’s College Kisubi for his secondary education.

In 1970, he joined Buwalasi Teachers Training College, Mbale, where he graduated as a Grade III teacher.

He later upgraded and attained a diploma of education at Muni National Teachers College in Arua.

Asindua has also been the chairman of Terego Head Teachers’ Association for seven years.

He has two wives and has 15 children. One of his daughters followed in his footsteps and is a teacher.