Fresh challenges for St Andrew’s School

Gwen Carlisle and Mags Southern, Head and Deputy Head of St Andrew’s School in Asunción, Paraguay, recently visited the UK. They shared a number of developments:

A new generation of independently-minded young people are growing up who never experienced the Stroessner dictatorship which dominated Paraguay for 35 years. This poses fresh challenges for the school in discipline, moving with the times and instilling in the pupils a love for their country.

Three ex-pupils recently stood for important positions in government, one being successful. This is encouraging and helps meet one of the school’s objectives: to see its Christian ethos make an impact on society.

The Chacarita is a poor area of Asunción where St Andrew’s Annexe School is situated. Increased use of drugs and alcohol are turning the Chacarita into a more dangerous place and, on Head Víctor Santa Cruz’ advice, a no-go area for St Andrew’s pupils.

Thanks especially to the ministry of Patrick Butler, ex-pupils of St Andrew’s are leading evening services at San Andrés church.

St Andrew’s hosts daily Bible studies for its pupils, together with monthly services, assemblies and camps. But parents are asking for even more Christian input, as well as higher standards academically and in sport.

There is a desperate need for a Secondary English teacher to prepare pupils for Cambridge exams.