Thursday 7 November 2013

IHANDIRO SUB COUNTY PLEDGES MIDDAY MEALS TO ALL SCHOOLS



On Thursday 24th October, 2013; KALI supported Education conference for Ihandiro Sub County. It was held at kibirigha Church of Uganda in Ihandiro Sub county. the conference was attended by Mr. Elisha Muliwabyo former district inspector of schools,Isemuzora current district inspector of schools, District councilors, GS0, all headteachers of secondary and primary schools in Ihandiro,students representatives among others.

BACKGROUND:
Ihandiro Sub County has been the fountain of Education in Kasese District and Bwera zone in particular where persons of high profile including academicians, politicians, businessmen and professionals hail from.

But this glory has been distorted by continued poor performance in academic since the 1990s. in realization of this problem, the Sub County in partnership with KALI organized an Education Conference on 28th Jan, 2010 where stakeholders identified problems that  were affecting  academic performance in the Sub County.

However, there has been an appreciation that there has been some registered improvement in some aspects that were identified.

Hence the Sub County and still in partnership with KALI organized yet another Education Conference on Thursday 24th October, 2013 particularly to review the progress so for made since the last conference of 2010.
                                 Participants during education conference
 The theme of the conference was TACKLING AND ENHANCING EDUCATION IN IHANDIRO SUB COUNTY as a major focus of development.

The objectives of the Education conference of 24/10/2013 were:

-         To raise more awareness on importance of Education.
-         To re-emphasis the different roles and responsibilities of stakeholders.
-         To share information on the status of Education in the Sub County.
-         To identify activities and critical requirements for uplifting Education standards and performance in the Sub County.
-         To discus and therefore come up with ideas, solutions and way forward to support the implementation of the action points raised to improve the education standards and academic performance in the Sub County.  

The participants at the Education conference included a representative of the District chairperson Hon Nyawathekwa James, District Councilor for Ihandiro, a representative of the DEO Mr. Baluku Costa, assistant DEO, Headteachers, SMC and PTAs chairpersons, Senior Women Teachers, Senior Male Teachers, student leaders, Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu cultural leaders and native Chiefs, Community Monitors, Role models,Go Back to School Taskforce Committee, LCs, religious leaders, opinion leaders, representative of the Business Community, Sub County staff and Councilors, NGOs / CBOs.


               KALI staff Mr. Muhesi Nicholas,presenting during the conference.
KALI, the co-sponsor of the Education Conference was represented by Mr. Muhesi Nicholas the Programs Officer-Enhancing Civic competence in Social Accountability and Mr. Bwambale Geoffrey, the Programs Officer-School Water, Sanitation and Hygiene-WASH.

The lead facilitator at the Education Conference was Mr. Muliwabyo Elisha, Associate Assessor and former Inspector of Schools -Kasese District. The co-facilitators were Mr. Kule Josephat Mutahunga-Sub County Chief and Mr. Baluku Phinehas ,Sub County Chairperson.

The outputs of the Education conference were: 
-         The Different roles and responsibilities of stakeholders clarified.
-         Role models identified.
-         Community members involvement in Education appreciated.
-         Policy on UPE and USE understood.


WAY FORWARD
During the Education Conference, the stakeholders came up with the following recommendations and action points as a way forward to improve academic in the Sub County.

NO
ACTIVITY
TIMEFRAME
RESPONSIBLE PERSON
1.
Giving Homework, regular
 tests and revision of past
 papers.
1st Term 2014
Zone leaders
Headteachers
Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga, MP and Minister of Defence.
2.
Midday meals to all Schools
 Children and teachers.

Sub County Chief,
 C/person LC III
Headteachers
3.
Inter School academic
 Competition; debates, tests and exams competitions

Zonal leader
Headteacher
Director of studies
4.
Routine supervision,
 inspection of schools and
 Monitoring.

Sub County Chief
Zonal Assessors
5.
Joint planning between the Sub County and Schools

Sub County Chief
LC III Chairperson
6.
Continuous Education
 Sensitization meetings  for
 Parents and other stakeholders.

Sub County Chief
Headteachers
LC III Chairperson, KALI
7.
Arrangement for Education
 Conferences.

SUB County Chief
LC III Chairperson
Headteachers, KALI
8.
Guidance and Counseling

SWTs, SMTs, S/C/C,
LC III Chairperson, HTRS
9.
Teachers commitment and
 Education research.

Headteachers, Sub County
 Chief
10.
Intensive practice of Cluster
 Parent Groups.

Headteachers, Sub County Chief, New Eden Christian
11.
Induction trainings for other
 Government structures e.g
 SMCs, PTAs, Prefects bodies, Farmers Forum, HUMCs,
 WUCs ,TPC, VHTs, PDCs, LCs.

Sub County Chief
LC III Chairperson,
KALI
12.
Learning tours for pupils,
 Teachers and parents.

Headteacher


AREAS THAT NEEDED URGENT ACTION:
·        Conduct Education Conferences to target  and sensitize parents from those parishes that are highly affected by low academic performance. Those Parishes were identified as Buhatiro Parish and Bubotyo Parish-to break the mental barriers that affect Education in those areas.
·        That the Farmers Forum needed training on their duties so as to be equipped in areas of identification of enterprises and procurement methods and how to boost food security that is a pre-requisite for midday meals at schools to boost academic performance.
·        That Dr. Kiyonga, the Minister of Defense continues to use his influence to lobby for Government Grant Aiding of Ihandiro Vocational Secondary School.

Compiled by;

Bwambale Geoffrey
Programme Officer-KALI

Thursday 31 October 2013

THE PLIGHT OF THE GIRL CHILD


It is unfortunate that some men in this generation still defile and rape school going age girls despite the efforts of government, putting good laws and policies to protect the plight of a woman. It is alleged that Mr. Kule William aged 26 years who is still  a “suspect” (according to the police report) loped a girl one miss Muhindo Rossette 15 years of age, a primary six pupil at St. Comboni primary school in Isango sub county. This happened when on a fateful day; Rossette was sent to go to the market by her grandmother M/s Biira Daria to buy supper for the entire family in Kalimanga village- Nyakiyumbu Sub County.
When she was on her way to the market, she encountered a group of four men who harassed and intimidated her to enter a nearby small hut. When she tried to shout, they beat her and Mr. Kule loped her, locked her up in the small hut for four days where she spent four days without food.
Her grandmother reported to the LCI of Bunyiswa Village about the missing granddaughter and they put the announcement on radio messiah and informed her parents Mr. Baluku Alfonse and M/s Ithungu Annah who immediately came to KALI with the help of our community Based Human rights activist M/s Masika Ramathan and the case was handed over to the Bwera police station to continue with the search.
Fortunately enough, on the fourth night, using her life skills, she escaped at around 11:30 pm- and she sneaked out. She reported the matter to the LCI of Bunyiswa village who later took the girl to her grandmother. They arranged for the arrest of the suspect, whom they arrested at 4:00am in the morning and handed him over to Bwera police post for further investigation and a case file was opened with SDREF 07/14/2013 Defilement.
KALI made a follow up where the girl was taken to Bwera Hospital for medical checkup to ascertain the case, medication and counseling to help her overcome the trauma and gain courage to go back to school.
KALI visited the home of the girl in Isango Sub County and the parents expressed the feeling that the suspect might have been released by police. KALI pledged to follow up the case to logical conclusion. It was found out that the case had been transferred to Kasese police post under file number 745/013. When we engaged with the police (O.C CID), he revealed that the suspect was remanded to Mubuku prison and would be brought for 1st hearing to court on Friday 1st November 2013.

Masika Scovia- KALI