English teacher Hakeem Waguma (33) sent one hundred and fifty applications. The result: silence - no conversations, no guest lectures, just rejections. Partly thanks to the efforts of the UAF, he eventually ended up at the table with a school director. Hakeem gave a trial lesson and took his chance. "I said, 'Sit back and enjoy my lesson.'"
“I started applying for jobs in 2020,” Hakeem reflects. He receives a reception in a temporary, otherwise empty classroom at the VMBO Trivium College Amersfoort, his employer since September. Outside, large machines are driving foundation piles into the ground for a new school building to be built. He closes the window and takes a seat behind one of the tables in the classroom. 'As part of my studies, I did an internship at a secondary school in Zutphen, which went well. A friend said, “You'll have a job in a second.” But that second turned into a month, a month turned into two months and so it went on. Nothing happened.'
Hakeem takes a laptop out of his briefcase and opens a folder of files on the desktop. There they are: the hundred and fifty letters he sent, neatly arranged. Motivation letter final, followed by names of numerous schools. The response he kept getting: no experience. Hakeem: 'I felt really bad about it. Fellow students who had never taught before got jobs, while I…” He searches for words. 'I am an experienced teacher.'
Fellow students who had never taught before did get a job.
Hakeem was born in Uganda. He studies English, the official language of the country. He also learns Arabic, Turkish, Swahili, Afrikaans and Zulu, among other things. 'I speak nine languages! In my country, every tribe has its own language, and there are quite a few of them. Languages enable you to understand others. How does it affect you that we are having this conversation in Dutch?'
After his education, Hakeem will work at a school in Kampala, before moving to Turkey if he gets the chance to teach English there. All told, he has been teaching for more than eight years. Because it is not safe for him in Turkey, he flees to the Netherlands in 2016. It is a long, painful and political story. I don't want to elaborate, but it was bad.' While waiting for a residence permit in the Netherlands, Hakeem cannot do anything for two years. Until the signals turn green at the end of 2018. Supported by the UAF, he follows the preparatory year at the HAN University of Applied Sciences in Nijmegen, after which he starts an HBO course to teach English.
Hakeem: 'The program is scheduled to take four years, but I wanted to finish in two years. There were times when I passed ten subjects in one block. Now all I have to do is finish my final research.' He moves and folds his hands together. 'Look, I have experience. I can easily provide an English lesson. But I felt that I would have a better chance of getting a job with a Dutch diploma. That was my motivation.'
He had not expected that finding a job would be so difficult. He is still guessing at reasons for the long list of unsuccessful applications. 'You tell me. I have everything: a completed education, work experience, good grades – really good grades, now also almost a Dutch diploma, I speak my languages. The language of my studies is Dutch, I have written reports in Dutch. Lack of command of the language cannot be a reason. Moreover, the Dutch language is not crucial for an English teacher, because I teach eighty percent of my lessons in English. What is it?'
He is silent for a moment. Then he says, “My originality is my first inspiration. It doesn't help that I'm from Africa. In education it is not easy being someone from Africa. I have not encountered many people like me in the Dutch education system. Of course I had a photo on my resume.' A deep sigh follows.
In education it is not easy being someone from Africa. I have not encountered many people like me in the Dutch education system.
The turnaround came when Hakeem's supervisor at the UAF pointed out a vacant position at the VMBO Trivium College Amersfoort. 'My first reaction was: I already applied there – without success. So why should I try again? They said I would get help and was immediately linked to the director. Why help? In the end I did it. I'm not vindictive, I'm not the person for that. Negative experiences make me stronger. I don't want to say anything negative about Trivium, they gave me a chance.'
Hakeem had a conversation and was invited to give a trial lesson. 'That was all I wanted. I knew: if I get the chance, I will grab it with both hands. Right before class, the principal said she wanted to introduce me. I said, “That is not necessary. Sit back and enjoy my lesson. I'll be fine." After that everything went by itself. I wrote some things about myself on the board and asked the students to introduce me in English. They liked that very much. I received positive reactions.'
I knew: if I get the chance, I will grab it with both hands.
What does Hakeem's story tell? Hakeem: 'Let me answer this question in English. There is a saying: don't judge a book by its cover. I think the majority judge either how we look or where we come from. But you can't judge unless you give me an opportunity to show what my abilities are. What I needed was one lesson. To every student who is frustrated I want to say: be patient and believe that there are people who will look after you. Seriously. In the end, chances are given.'
The UAF has guided and financially supported Hakeem during his studies and his path to work. Hakeem found his current job through a tip from his counselor.
At first, Hakeem did not want to reapply at the school where he was previously rejected. I advised him to do so. I said, 'Stand in your power, forget all other things and see this as an opportunity.' We heard from the school that – in view of the many pupils with a language deficiency – they had doubts about his Dutch at first. But because it was a temporary replacement, they got over that objection. After only a month it became clear that Hakeem and this school are a good match. He clicks well with students, precisely because he speaks so many different languages. I have a lot of respect for how he handles it. I hope that schools will use this example to invite teachers with a refugee background for an interview. People like Hakeem carry a lot of baggage.
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