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

KATWE PRIMARY SCHOOLS PUPILS IMPROVISE WITH SCHOOL BAND

" DURING OUR DAYS WE HAD THE BEST BAND, I JOINED KATWE PRIMARY IN 1959 AND CAME BACK AS HEAD TEACHER IN 1982" KATEMBA. C. DAUGLAS.

Katwe Primary School children matching during the speech day on 4th Dec. 2014

It was a remind of our past as every parent at Katwe Primary School, Kasese district lamented during the speech day on 4th December, 2014. The children had improvised with drums as a school band, and they matched the streets of Katwe-Kabatooro Town Council, singing and joyful. Onlookers were busy commenting, but UPE children were show casing and indeed innovative enough. Who could imagine that in the 21st Century school band could be history, but come to Katwe Primary School you will see reality. Children in between the salt lake and fishing in lake Edward.

Mother joining pupils during the speech day

The mother of one of the pupils remembered her days at Katwe Primary School, she could not hold her happiness when she jumped and joined the pupils dancing. Speech days are important in children's education.

P. 2 Class showcasing their skills to the parents on

Mr. Katemba in cream shirt,

Ms. Jenifer Kabarangira, talking about the girl child education in relation to sanitation and the gender specific needs for girls

The Speech day at Katwe Primary School on 4rd Dec. 2014 was an exciting moment for parents and pupils to spend their time together a culture that has degenerated due to the commercialization of Education. Universal Primary Education (UPE) did not mean free education as some parents have take it to be. Provision of scholastic materials and paying special attention to the girl child was crucial if Katwe community was to benefit from the government UPE prrimary, Ms. Jenifer challenged the parents. On his part, Mr. Katemba, took the parents through the tier of education and how the prism narrows down as one climbs the ladders. He asked the Katwe community if they had any children in the last tier being University Education.

The participants of the speech day agreed to meet at the beginning of the term at Katwe Primary school and were reminded to take care of the pupils as they go for holidays


Compile by

Jimmy B.O
Medrace B
Kaliba Charles
RWECO Team in Katwe

TEACHER TESTIFIES HOW ICT HAS HELPED HER IN TEACHING ENGLISH

 ICT - Information and Communications Technology is any piece of device that allows users to create, store, display and communicate over a distance.

Integrating ICT in the teaching is using it alongside existing methods to support the learning process across the curriculum.

From the time I attained training in ICT; it has greatly reduced my work load and also attracted the learners’ attention so that I find some ordinary methods rather distractive. The use of the projector for instance tactfully creates alertness in class which builds the learners keenness through listening and reading skills.

My effort towards class control lessens, thus enabling me to achieve my lesson objectives – the aim of any teacher.  The duster and chalk are issues that remain yards away rendering ICT less inconveniencing. A simple click – right or left takes me to my desired destination instead of having to repeatedly stretch my hand – especially with my punctuated height.

Depending on the animation schemes I select, I feel the lessons provide for students’ opinions through interaction therefore minimizing the students’ attitude to view me as   ‘all knowing ‘, but rather boost their critical abilities.

Inexhaustible is its goodness so that ICT also serves as a reference by enabling me walk majestically into the next stream to handle an aspect I had earlier taught - without fresh preparation since it provides the saving option.

Thus widely known is that ICT is hugely transforming at a rate measurable by the discoveries I make of it each moment I venture.  The challenges I have realized with its use through the period after training include security.  This pauses laxity to put the language lab to full use since most of the tools have to be ferried over and over.  Also the internet not being an all time provision in school calls for need to supplement the laboratory with relevant teaching  materials such as videos and a digital camera to facilitate lesson development..

Lastly, the administration’s swift effort in securing us a room is the basis for this piece.  We are grateful to CFSU and its partner organizations for ensuring that we are part of this crew and assure you of our role on the voyage.

Kabagambe Lillian

Teacher of English Language and Literature in English

St. Leo’s College Kyegobe