Pygmies Rush To School

THE number of school-going pygmies (Batwa) has increased from about 100 in the early 1990’s to 1,000 to date. Fortunate Ahimbisibwe reports that this was said by Resident District Commissioner Francis Batinti on Friday on phone from Kisoro. He attributed the increase to the introduction of Universal primary Education and Kisoro district administration’s efforts. The Batwa number about 5,000 and only 1,000 of them have gone to school since 1990. Since UPE began in 1997, the Batwa began sending their children to school in bigger numbers. “We have tried to encourage the pygmies to send their children to school and their turn-up has been a surprise to us,” Batinti said. Ends