Dr Nyarigoti: I am working on a writing club. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
While doing her PhD studies at the University of Reading in the UK, she wrote her first published novel The Broken Promise.
Dr Naom Nyarigoti loves writing. That is how she chose a degree in English and Literature. While doing her PhD studies at the University of Reading in the UK, she wrote her first published novel The Broken Promise.
Now a lecturer in English at USIU, she shares her insights on the education system and nurturing writing talent.
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It has been three years since you published The Broken Promise. What are you working on now?
I am writing a continuation of The Broken Promise which hopefully should be out at the end of next year. I am also doing short stories which I am yet to finalise. I like fiction because it takes me away from the real world and through that I am able to express my experiences. It makes me happy.
What made you pen the book?
The Broken Promise is based on experiences of students who go abroad to study. Having stayed in the UK for close to 10 years, I and my colleagues went through experiences that were both interesting and challenging. I wanted the experiences shared to the world and the people back home. I needed to write a book to reach a wider audience than the word of mouth.
As a lecturer in English, how can a writer master the language?
As Socrates stated ‘employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have laboured hard to get.’ To be a good writer you must read widely and, of course, write. You write and write and write to improve skills.
What do you think is the reason for the current poor standards in English language?
Students are taught to directly answer questions in exams and creative writing is not given any emphasis. The syllabus is also wide to cover in the time allotted. The same teacher is teaching language, oral literature, literature, poetry to more than 100 or 200 students; they are overwhelmed.
What will it take to improve the English grades?
The approaches we use in teaching and the training our teachers are getting needs to change. Teaching methodologies change over time, but some of our teachers are still using the same methods they learnt some 20 years ago. That is why policy makers need to make use of research findings of scholars when making decisions.
We have students that score 100 per cent in their English exams who cannot write a (job) application letter.
What is your plan to nurture the next generation of writers?
I have a few students who show interest in writing especially those pursuing a degree in journalism and they often come to me to look at their work. I am planning to start a creative writing club soon.
