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Mentor for School Principal

All MCC workers are expected to exhibit a commitment to: a personal Christian faith and discipleship; active church membership; and nonviolent peacemaking.

MCC is an equal opportunity employer, committed to employment equity. MCC values diversity and invites all qualified candidates to apply.

Mentor for School Principal in El Qosseya, Egypt

Term: 
1 year
Date Opened: 
July 4, 2011
Date Required: 
Available Now

 

Synopsis: 
The MCC worker will be a mentor to the new principal in St. Mina School in the city of El Qosseya in Upper Egypt. The school seeks to be a positive and encouraging learning environment for both Christian and Muslim children from grades 1 through 12, fostering equality between male and female, Muslim and Christian. By mentoring the principal, the MCC worker will help to foster peace and bridgebuilding in the area of Qosseya and offer children a high quality education.

 

Qualifications: 
  • A personal Christian faith and discipleship; active church membership; and nonviolent peacemaking
  • Academic background and experience in education and school administration
  • Interest in building relationships and learning Arabic to facilitate communication and good working relationships
  • Open to learning about Egyptian society and churches

 

Assignment Description: 
MCC Egypt works in partnership with the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Coptic Evangelical Church and the Egyptian Episcopal church. MCC seeks to support their life and witness as they work to improve their communities. Egyptian Christians, who trace their history back to St. Mark the gospel writer, live as a minority of perhaps ten percent of the population in a largely Muslim society. Churches provide pastoral care for their members and reach out to their neighbours with services such as education. They serve as gathering places for their communities and hubs of extended social and family networks. The MCC team in Egypt numbers approximately twelve, including three Egyptian office staff. The whole MCC group gathers about six times per year for worship, business meetings, parties, retreats, lectures, field trips.

The Diocese of Qosseya and Mir of the Coptic Orthodox Church is centered in the town of Qosseya in Assiut governorate of Upper Egypt with 29 surrounding villages in the district. The total population of this area is about 400,000 with 25-30% Christian. None of the villages is exclusively Christian. Bishop Thomas is head of the diocese where there are 25 Orthodox churches with 35 priests. Other denominations are also present: Catholic, Evangelical (Synod of the Nile Presbyterian), an Adventist centre and several other small groups, including “Plymouth” Brethren.

Within this work context, MCCers give priority to building relationships with Egyptians and getting to know the culture and learning about people’s lives. While primary program relationships are with Egyptian Christians, there will be opportunities to learn more about Islam and to interact with Muslim students and neighbours.

St. Mina School was founded by Bishop Thomas in 1994. It began modestly, as it was difficult to start a new school in a small village such as El Qosseya, but now has 750 students in grades 1 through 12. St. Mina School is quite different from the public governmental schools in the area. It was begun with a vision to reconcile Christians and Muslims by educating a new generation of children to interact positively and be comfortable with one another. St. Mina School works toward equal rights for men and women by teaching girls and boys together in the same classes and treating them equally. Teachers at St. Mina aim to foster students’ creativity and critical thinking rather than relying on the traditional, authoritarian methods common in governmental schools. As part of the school’s peacebuilding vision, parents are offered education regarding conflict management.





 

Duties: 
  • Work directly with an Egyptian principal as a mentor, supporting the vision for the school and helping to foster its unique character. It has been a challenge for the school to maintain this vision consistently in a context in which most teachers and school administrators are accustomed to a different way of doing things.
  • Assist with capacity building of teachers as appropriate.
  • Participate in cultural or educational events organized in the school.
  • Develop an appreciation for the lives of Egyptians and their church.
  • Become part of the fabric of life in El Qosseya and communicate this experience to MCC and sending constituency.
  • Work at acquiring proficiency in communicating in Arabic.
  • Participate fully in the life of MCC Egypt.
  • Cultivate patience, flexibility, hospitality, and a sense of humour.

 

Location Description: 
Egypt is a country of about 80 million people, with the vast majority of the population in the Nile delta area, north of Cairo, along the Nile River basin and some coastal communities. Populated areas are very crowded.

The security situation in Egypt is currently quiet but the recent revolution has left much uncertainty about the future. Westerners can expect some freedom of movement in the community in which they live. The may be limitations and security concerns which require accompaniment by a security person or an Egyptian companion for other travels inside of the country.

MCC Egypt is based in Cairo, a bustling metropolis of 20 million people with a plethora of consumer goods and entertainment possibilities. Workers who are placed outside of Cairo can expect to
spend at least a month in the city at the beginning of their term as there are better possibilities for formal language study. An introduction to getting around in Cairo is important as government and services are highly centralized in the capital city.

El Qosseya is a four to five-hour train ride to the south of Cairo, about fifty kilometers from the city of Assiut, the main city in the region. Upper Egypt is underserved, both economically and in social programs. Its people are known for being quite traditional and cautious of change. People in El Qosseya are very simple and not highly educated. They welcome new people and help them to adjust quickly. The church and the mosques are the main social gathering places in the community.

The weather in Egypt is hot for five months, chilly for three and very pleasant for the other four months. The sun shines virtually every day.

MCC would consider placing a couple in this position or a single person. It would be a challenge for a single, western person to live in El Qosseya, especially a single woman, as harassment is commonly directed at women. MCC will also consider a couple if both are qualified for the position or if the spouse qualifies to work in another service position. Possibilities for the spouse could include teaching English as second language or assisting with other programs run by the diocese.





 

Challenges: 
Often, an important issue for MCCers is resolving their personal frustration with and response to occasional rude behaviour and harassment in the street. This ranges from rude comments to inappropriate touch for women and persistent attention from groups of children for both men and women. Workers find ways, in conversation with others, of finding ways to reduce the attention, of recognizing dangerous situations and of coping with the rest so that the frustration does not become overwhelming. One also encounters many kind and respectful strangers and Egyptian streets are much safer than those of most cities in Canada and the US. It should also be noted that opportunities for exercise are limited and require creativity.