Poor PLE results a sign of flaws in UPE
Jan 28, 2009
LEGAL instruments — both local and international recognise that making sustainable improvements in the lives of children requires the recognition of children as individuals with their own needs, rights and aspirations within their communities. So childr
By Timothy Opobo
LEGAL instruments — both local and international recognise that making sustainable improvements in the lives of children requires the recognition of children as individuals with their own needs, rights and aspirations within their communities. So children need to be provided with opportunities to influence and make guided decisions about their welfare.
The Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme was introduced by the Government in 1997. It is a government policy to provide education to all children of school going age.
According to this policy, access, equity, quality and relevance must be guaranteed. However, the recently released PLE results reflect the flaws in the highly hyped UPE programme. The number of pupils who passed in division one reduced by half, compared to 2007. The failure rate is steadily rising from 13.5% in 2007 to about 20%.This massive decline in performance of the pupils requires a critical reflection and review of the entire programme in relation to it’s intended objectives.
According to the UPE Child Monitoring Reports released by the African Network-for Prevention and Protection Against Abuse and Neglect: Children expressed the lack of lunch time meals as a factor affecting their concentration, well-being and ultimate performance at school.
In most UPE schools, parents are expected to contribute towards meals of children at school. However, political statements by some of our key politicians asking parents not to pay any money for meals have been misunderstood to imply total negligence by some parents towards providing for their children.
As a result most children study half-day and then take the afternoon off to try to find something to eat, while the few that stay in school are unable to concentrate due to hunger. The issue of meals at school has de-motivated very many children from going to school since to many, school implies hunger. It is also due to lack of food that many children escape from school during the afternoon hours with the aim of finding something to eat but only end up being abused.
A case in point is 11 girls from Kimasa Primary School, Mpumude division in Jinja District, who escaped to steal mangoes but ended up being defiled, four of whom are pregnant. There have also been cases of children caught stealing and physically battered or tortured, all this as they attempt to meet their basic right to food.
In a situation were over 80% of pupils do not attend afternoon classes, pupils going hungry and the number of teachers inadequate, performance has to decline. In addition, the few teachers are demoralised by the poor pay, there are inadequate class rooms, UPE funds are remitted to schools late, sanitary facilities are inadequate, text books and other stationery material are lacking and school inspection is unheard of; these are factors that account for poor performance in schools.
It is therefore, imperative that , the Government urgently addresses these issues that are crippling the UPE programme before rushing to Universal Secondary Education otherwise, the trend can only be similar.
The Government should look beyond the political gains registered due to the introduction of the UPE programme and face the reality, that unless UPE is improved, it will be disastrous for the future of this country.
The writer is the Ag.programme coordinator (ANPPCAN)-Uganda Chapter
LEGAL instruments — both local and international recognise that making sustainable improvements in the lives of children requires the recognition of children as individuals with their own needs, rights and aspirations within their communities. So children need to be provided with opportunities to influence and make guided decisions about their welfare.
The Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme was introduced by the Government in 1997. It is a government policy to provide education to all children of school going age.
According to this policy, access, equity, quality and relevance must be guaranteed. However, the recently released PLE results reflect the flaws in the highly hyped UPE programme. The number of pupils who passed in division one reduced by half, compared to 2007. The failure rate is steadily rising from 13.5% in 2007 to about 20%.This massive decline in performance of the pupils requires a critical reflection and review of the entire programme in relation to it’s intended objectives.
According to the UPE Child Monitoring Reports released by the African Network-for Prevention and Protection Against Abuse and Neglect: Children expressed the lack of lunch time meals as a factor affecting their concentration, well-being and ultimate performance at school.
In most UPE schools, parents are expected to contribute towards meals of children at school. However, political statements by some of our key politicians asking parents not to pay any money for meals have been misunderstood to imply total negligence by some parents towards providing for their children.
As a result most children study half-day and then take the afternoon off to try to find something to eat, while the few that stay in school are unable to concentrate due to hunger. The issue of meals at school has de-motivated very many children from going to school since to many, school implies hunger. It is also due to lack of food that many children escape from school during the afternoon hours with the aim of finding something to eat but only end up being abused.
A case in point is 11 girls from Kimasa Primary School, Mpumude division in Jinja District, who escaped to steal mangoes but ended up being defiled, four of whom are pregnant. There have also been cases of children caught stealing and physically battered or tortured, all this as they attempt to meet their basic right to food.
In a situation were over 80% of pupils do not attend afternoon classes, pupils going hungry and the number of teachers inadequate, performance has to decline. In addition, the few teachers are demoralised by the poor pay, there are inadequate class rooms, UPE funds are remitted to schools late, sanitary facilities are inadequate, text books and other stationery material are lacking and school inspection is unheard of; these are factors that account for poor performance in schools.
It is therefore, imperative that , the Government urgently addresses these issues that are crippling the UPE programme before rushing to Universal Secondary Education otherwise, the trend can only be similar.
The Government should look beyond the political gains registered due to the introduction of the UPE programme and face the reality, that unless UPE is improved, it will be disastrous for the future of this country.
The writer is the Ag.programme coordinator (ANPPCAN)-Uganda Chapter