VP ALUPO | GIRLS | EDUCATION

NAMISINDWA - Parents should have a positive attitude in fostering and championing the education of the girl child, Vice President Jessica Alupo, has said.

She made the call at the commissioning of a multi-million girls dormitory at Situmi Girls Primary school in Namisindwa district in Bugisu sub region, Sunday.

The dormitory was constructed by old girls and boys, friendly to the school. 

It was constructed by Sayonam Construction U SMC Limited and spearheaded by Mary Gorette Kitutu, the minister for Karamoja in the office of the Prime Minister. 

Kitutu is also the Woman Member of Parliament of Manafwa District.

She requested the leaders to drop unsustainable practices that tend to overlook the need to keep African girls in school and also ensure that girls have adequate accommodation facilities.

Vice President Jessica Alupo pays offertory during a mass. (All Photos by Abou Kisige)

“The thinking of the planners in education is that there will be few girls in the system; that is why you find several hostels constructed for boys with few or even none for girls,” said Alupo.

“Education is one of the most critical areas of empowering women. When girls are educated, they lead healthier and more productive lives,” Alupo said.

She said an educated girl child has a positive ripple effect on her health, family, community and society as a whole.

Alupo said marginalising girls in the field of education is too risky that such acts would lead to unbalanced social-economic growth across the country.

“Whenever there is a choice to make between a girl and a boy on who should continue with education, the girl is left behind. This must stop,” Alupo stressed.

She added that girls should not be looked up as the source of wealth through bride price, stating that when educated, girls can be better and able leaders in the country.

Pupils of Situmi Primary School perform during the commissioning of a multimillion girls dormitory at their school in Namisindwa district.

“When a woman is educated and she is posted in any office be it government or private, you will never hear of any scandals like corruption or embezzlement of funds because it is difficult to bribe a woman,” the vice president said.

She also urged young girls to stay in school and avoid early marriages if they are to have a bright future and become useful for the nation.

Alupo lauded minister Kitutu for mobilising development partners who included members of Parliament from Bugisu sub region, church and individuals for putting up such a magnificent facility to help keep girls in school.

The vice president thanked political, religious and cultural leaders in the sub region for choosing to work together to address poverty, health and education challenges faced by the grassroots people.

She thanked the three clans in Namisindwa district namely; Bumboho, Bubwambala, Bubuto for working together in unison.  

She asked clan leaders to identify any income-generating activities with her to help empower their subjects socially and economically.

The new girls' dormitory at Situmi Girls Primary School in Namisindwa.

Alupo asked the people of Bugisu to plant trees to address the issue of landslides which have always claimed lives of people in the sub-region.

“The challenge of landslides can be solved in many ways but in my thinking people should plant trees in both low and upland areas to secure our environment to address landslides.

Plant trees everywhere in the compound to slow down on the gravity of rainwater because trees would act as soil cover,” the vice president advised.

She thanked the people of Bugisu for their efforts in fighting poverty and encouraged them to embrace the new Parish Development Model programme.

The vice president handed over shs10m logistical support to Situmi P/S, another shs3m to the three different clans in Bugisu. 

she also supported both football and Netball clubs in the district.  

The model seeks to have all development activities regarding agriculture production planned and executed in parishes. 

According to the Ministry of Finance, the first three months of the financial year will be spent on Parish Chiefs operationalising the Parish Development Committees that will be in charge of the new initiative

In the current financial year 2021/2022, parliament appropriated over shs200bn towards the new model.

The model is the latest attempt by the government to roll out at the parish level to alleviate poverty at the grassroots by getting the 39 percent of households from subsistence economy to commercial production.

Kitutu asked her people to continue supporting all government programs especially those geared at addressing challenges in Health, poverty alleviation and education of the girl child.

Jackson Wakweika, the Namisindwa LC5, applauded the govt for the initiative made to improve household income. 

He thanked President Museveni for working on the Mbale Lwakhakha road. 

He, however, noted that Namisindwa being an agriculture-based district, its people find it hard transporting their produce to the market. 

He requested the govt to consider tarmacking the Kufu-Bupoto-Magale-Munamba road to ensure easy movement of farm produce.

The ceremony was attended by the minister of State for Elderly Affairs, Dominic Gidudu and all LC V chairpersons in Bugisu sub region.