About

HISTORY OF HAGGAI CENTRE FOR TEACHER DEVELOPMENT

In September 2020, under God’s guidance, it was decided that the University of FCE (UFCE) at Koti ni Eden in Zambia would be closed down. The last graduation ceremony was in November 2021 at the new campus of Gateway Christian School in the Masaiti District, Zambia. In August 2022 the last three B.Ed. students completed their studies and UFCE was officially deregistered at the Higher Education Authority of Zambia.

In October 2020, lecturers of UFCE came together seeking God’s direction for the way forward. Out of that it was decided to form an in-service training organization for the development of already trained Christian educators, called the Haggai Centre for Teacher Development (HCTD).

The following Scriptures guided us in our decision:

 Eph. 4:11-12: He appointed us as teachers to equip the saints (Christian teachers) for their ministry (teaching and discipling the next generation) and edify the body of Christ. Thus, our focus points are equipping Christian teachers as well as edifying (encouraging, building up, supporting) the body of Christ, especially teachers and parents. 

The “transforming Word” received from the Lord was from Matt. 13:52. “Every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” (NIV) The TPT translation says “…Is like a wealthy home owner with his house filled with treasures both new and old. And he knows how and when to bring them out to show others.” As we studied this verse in context, the Lord confirmed that we will not just leave all the old treasures behind, and that all the hard work of the past was not in vain.

 We were reminded of 1 Chron. 28:10 that the Lord gave us when we started with the FCE Teacher Training College in Wellington 1997: “…for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.” (This house to us means education.)

 The Lord also spoke to us through the following scriptures:

Matt. 6: 10, 33: 10 “Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” and 33 “But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.”

2 Chron. 17:9 “They taught in Judah, having the book of Yahweh’s law with them.  They went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.”

Ps 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you.”

Ps 90:17 “Let the favour of the Lord our God be on us; establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.”

The Name: Haggai Centre for Teacher Development

Motivation: The book of Haggai forms a central part of the calling into being of FCE in 1990, when God called Neels de Jager, the founder of FCE, into this new vision. It has since been central in the whole development and growth of FCE’s vision.

The word “teacher” puts the focus on our main constituents, but that does not exclude the possibility that we will also be involved with parents, student leadership development, leadership or management training of senior staff and school management boards.

The word “development” replaces the word “training”, ensuring that it will not be confused with initial teacher training. Furthermore, it can be linked with the concept of “life-long learning” of teachers, an ongoing process of continuous learning and renewing.

Our work

Over the past few years, members of Haggai Centre for Teacher Development:  have been involved in at least two full Discipleship courses per year given input into many other Discipleship courses presented numerous short seminars, workshops, and professional staff development sessions in schools in South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and Ethiopia.

In 2022 Thinus Dreeckmeier, one of our members, published a book, “Educating for Eternity”, in which he gives clear guidance on the heart of Christ-centred Education, God’s eternal plan for education, and then gives a comprehensive explanation of the theory and practice of Christ-centred teaching and learning.

The Haggai members have also committed to develop short on-line courses to empower Christian educators to become disciple-makers who teach with a Kingdom vision. We hope to have this online material ready by 2026.

The Haggai team is a group of professionally trained educators who have been called by God to serve the Body of Christ, especially in the educational arena.