Birnie Duthie – English as a Second Language Trainer in Kiribati

Before heading out on assignment,  Birnie was living in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam working at RMIT University.  Birnie was a Lecturer, preparing graduate students for the work place and Bernie's wife Val (also a VSA volunteer) was Curriculum Coordinator.

What Val and Birnie are doing in Kiribati

Val and Birnie are both working for the Marine Training Centre (MTC) in Tarawa as English teachers and staff developers. MTC trains I-Kiribati men and women from all Kiribati islands to become professional sailors to work on foreign merchant ships. Currently, more than 1,000 graduates have been employed by German shipping companies on container, bulk and gas carrier ships. Val and Birnie’s role is to help them learn English – the international shipping language – to improve their prospects.

Making a positive impact

Val and Birnie are really enjoying teaching the cadets who they both agree are very rewarding to work with. Both work with a dedicated class of around 30 cadets who they teach every day. The cadets come from the outer islands of Kiribati that are spread across 3,000 km of the Pacific.  Val says the cadets are hugely motivated to learn and succeed as they realise the rare opportunity they have been given to get a well-paying job if they graduate.

Val and Birnie’s highlights so far

 “Meeting so many new and interesting people has been a highlight for us both.  I-Kiribati people are very friendly to everyone and they always have a huge smile for you.  They are always keen to help us understand their culture and enjoy their islands.  We get invited to things such as first birthday parties (very special events here) and the President’s Banquet for Independence Day.”

What Kiribati has taught Val and Birnie

“You really can live happily with no material wealth.”

“Education is of vital importance to the people here.”

“There are many ways of doing things and that ‘our’ way is not always the best.”