WHY CANT WE TAKE CHARGE OF THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN?:

WHY CANT WE TAKE CHARGE OF THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN?:

Rwenzori consortium for civic competence (RWECO) organized parent’s day at the different primary schools in the Kasese District to sensitize the parents their role in supporting children to go to school and get quality education. The schools visited were, Muhokya Katwe and Munkunyu primary schools on (21^st Nov,4^th  and 5^th Dec respectively).RWECO in collaboration with the school management committee’s brought parents,OB’^s&OG’^s of those schools together to share views and ideas on how performance can be enhanced in the schools.

A total of 514 parents, 24 members from PTA and managements and staff of RWECO participated in these sensitization school days.

SCHOOL	MALE	FEMALE	PTA/MGT	TOTAL
MUKUNYU	86	129	09	224
KATWE	35	58	07	100
MUHOKYA	99	106	08	213
Total	220	293	24	537

The main purpose of RWECO involvement in education is “to improve literacy and proficiency levels in English Language by enhancing communication skills in primary school of Kasese District”. The initial target was improved literacy and proficiency in English language of 4500 Primary School pupils and 225 teachers in 15 primary schools by 2014.

Pupils of Munkunyu Primary School, Kasese District matching during the speech day in December 2014

A series of activities were done including pupils matching into communities inviting parents to the schools, pupil’s presentation of their grievances and desires towards education through poems, songs and dance to put up the message of their need for education, parents responding to the issues raised by the parents and key note message to the parents by the Guest speaker.

It was realized that the level of participation of parents in school going activities has improved in different schools as evidenced from the statistics above; the learners expressed their willingness to be in schools but always frustrated by the lack of the basic things especially scholastic materials

A parent supporting her child to receive a present from Mr. Dauglas K ( right)

The guest speaker Mr.Katemba Douglas requested the parents to learn how to sacrifice for their children. He gave examples of prominent people who passed through these schools as Mr. Sudhir, Bidandi Ssali who passed through Katwe primary school. He said, for the learners to get good education, they need good food, sleep well, provide medical care and the best care. As Parents, “we need to develop ‘focus and vision’ for the future of our children, pay fees, provide uniform and other materials and ensure we corporate with our children for the betterment in school and the future”.

In summing up the day’s activities, Parents vowed to support their children in school by making a follow-up on the class activities and attending to school programs. The best performing pupils and teachers were awarded for the work done in their respective schools to motivate them in school and to instill the spirit of competition among the learners and the teachers.

RWECO Field team:

Charles Kaliba
Medrace Balira