BY GRAHAM HUGHES
Ottawa Citizen
An African-born educator has become a trustee with the French public school board.
Abdi Aden Chil, 46, one of five applicants for the post, was selected by trustees to replace Susan Copland, who gave up her seat in August to take a job in Paris.
In an interview, Mr. Aden Chil said his appointment, which takes effect at the next board meeting on Oct. 18, is important for the members of the francophone community from Djibouti and Somalia, who make up a substantial minority of the board's families.
Mr. Aden Chil, chairman of a community association that represents that group, will represent Zone 10,
Rideau-Vanier, until the end of the term, Nov. 30, 2006.
Then he said "I will probably try to hold on to the seat in the civic elections."
Board chairman Bareilhe said Mr. Aden Chil is welcome addition to the board. "His understanding of the world of education as well as his knowledge of our board make him a key player who will contribute greatly to our discussions and decisions."
Mr. Aden Chil spent 26 years in the Djibouti education department as teacher, teacher trainer, principal and education supervisor, before coming to Canada in October 1997. Before emigrating, he had been chief of the environment education department, which he helped establish.
After attending classes at the Universite de Quebec in Montreal, Mr. Aden Chil moved to Ottawa in 19998 and worked as a supply teacher with Le Conseil Des ecoles publiques de l'Este de L'Ontario, at Champlain High School and Charlotte-Lemieuxe elementary.
Mr. Aden Chil, who speaks French, English and Somali, is also the education co-ordinator of Groupe CCL international, a private language school public servants. And he is president of the paretns'council at Marie-Curie Elementary and a member of the board's education committee.
Mr. Aden Chil has six children at French public board schools.
Source: Ottawa Citizen, Oct. 07, 2005
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