Africa Education A tale of Gaps and Opportunities, a case of Uganda.
Author: Marvin Wasswa Patrick
As the saying goes-plant a tree to benefit from the shed. Education is a perfect human right that doesn't affect negatively any other persons right.Uganda was estimated to have a population of about 34 million people of which 56% are persons below 18 years of age (about 19 million), which means the labour force to look after the children is minimal. Further scrutiny of the education system shows that net enrollment for primary education ( between 5-14 years) boys is 90% and girls 92% though net attendance differs at 82% for boys and 80 % girls respectively. (UNICEF STATISTICS 2007-2011). To make matters worse, there is minimal net enrollement in high chool/secondary school with net attendance as low as 17% for the few that enrolled.
St. Mary Primary School so, where should the intervention be fit to produce tangible results? However, the government introduced Universal Primary Education though the learning conditions are below acceptable stantards and the biggest share of education budget is spent on allowances,salaries,administrative issues and less on infrastructural development as well as capacity building. Therefore, as a forum, should we improve and spend more on lower education or on secondary /higher education. This strikes a balance to consider spending where access to education services won't affect quality within a limited resource framework. All efforts to promote education at lower level and in infant should address the key reasons for girl child school drop outs; which may be to a result of pregnancy due to early sex or early marriages. History has it that the girl child never attended school or if so never completed lower primary. Research has it that from 2002-2011, there was an average of 20% girl early marriages. The basic question is how do we handle such situations as parents and teachers in schools to keep those in school sex free till marriage or after school and encourage those who became pregnant and gave birth to return to school? Games in schools play a big role in child development and should therefore not be neglected in school curriculum. They attract and hold attention while building team work and self esteem among the children and that comes with urge to discover self among many; priotise needs.
The education system in Uganda just like any other african country is geered at passing examinations through primary-secondary and later university with little impact on learning abilities on key lifetime skills such as writng, communicationskills, sharing, among others. There should be an effort to share ideas and success stories to discover what we can learn from other places for the improvment of education system. Am happy , the Education Worldwide forum strategies to start projects with penpal program at St Mary's Kyondo primary school has clearly highlighted the gap of children not clearly espressing themselves. I always think of two objectives that are a pre-requisite to uplift education standards in Africa; to increase access to education and improve learning conditions. Increase access to education services and learning conditions; this entails not only classrooms but also library ,staffroom and an environment where a child can freely express him/herself. Majority of the schools lack a framework where there is a play ground coupled with nutritious meals and ample rest. .These are scenarios which keep kids out of school due to the dis-comfort. The age between 5-18 is a stage of discovering oneself and any hindrance to such leads to low self esteem. Based onhttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php? fbid=10201124616908962&set=gm.206130796214136&type=1&relevant Really, can a kid want to return to schooll under such conditions? So iif a program is to address the issues for access to education services, focus should be on factors affecting demand for education. A school meal a day is a myth in many schools and this impacts learning abilities for a child. Some of th children bring left over foods- muwogo (cassava) and lumonde (sweet potatoes). A school project should a well focus on supporting schools establish school farms and increase demand for safe clean drinking water in schools such as water purification tablets to prevent time wasting and infant water borne infectios.
How can we realise opportunities from such gaps without negatively impacting education systems? incentives are good to increase the demand for education at schools but this should be established in a sustainable manner such as establishment of a library, boreholes for water and purification tablets with mentorhip to school leaders to appreciate the need of clean safe drinking water so as to include it in the school expenditure pattern. I have seen mama kits being given to mothers who attend antenatal clinics and in their abscence,numbers attending clinic are declining. Focus of programs,should be to support schools develop systems rather than increasing demand with incentives with no sustainability plan.
Grants/Aid/support should have a timeframe upon completion mentorship would be cheap and relaible for African teachers. All this can be achieved through Corporate social responsibility and costshare- For instance,a school can build a library while the donor equips it with learning aids such as textbooks. This clearly makes the community own the program rather than supporting the school under push system with limited contribution.
These are my thoughts about gaps in African education and what is realy sustainable? What are yours? Let me know how your school is involving communities to understand the value of education, and how they are intergrated in the school management and planning structure? lessons from Marvin.......................... patwin1261@gmail.com