Govt must redeem the UPE image
Mar 30, 2010
EDITOR—MPs on the social service committee have called for an urgent review of the UPE and USE programmes, following a survey that indicates declining standards in the quality of education. Education is definitely one aspect of human life to be valued and enjoyed by all children.
EDITOR—MPs on the social service committee have called for an urgent review of the UPE and USE programmes, following a survey that indicates declining standards in the quality of education. Education is definitely one aspect of human life to be valued and enjoyed by all children.
The second millennium development goal to which Uganda subscribes, aims to achieve universal primary education by 2015. The UPE programme was introduced by Government in 1997. It is Government policy to provide education to all children of school-going age. According to this policy, access, equity, quality and relevance must be guaranteed.
The recently released PLE results reflected a 4.8% improved performance compared to 2008, in which probably the worst results were registered since the start of the programme. President Museveni recently remarked that the results demonstrated quality in the programme.
He was also quick to point out and rightly so, the issue of inconsistent inspection of schools, as one of the key obstacles to improved academic standards in primary schools in Uganda. It was also comforting to note, that the President was very clear on the issue of parents providing lunch for their children, since many parents had previously misunderstood his statement on this, totally neglecting their obligation to provide food.
In the past this led to many pupils only attending classes for half the day, and taking the afternoons off to find something to eat. In some unfortunate cases this has had detrimental consequences on the children, for example in the case where 11 girls from Kimasa Primary School, Mpumude division in Jinja district, escaped to steal mangoes but ended up being defiled, four of getting 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. However, the challenges affecting the UPE programme are not necessarily limited to inspection and lunch.
According to the 2008, UPE Child monitoring Report compiled by the African Network-for Prevention and Protection Against abuse and Neglect -Uganda Chapter, children pointed out that the number of teachers is inadequate, and the few teachers available are demoralised by poor pay, inadequate classrooms, UPE funds being remitted to schools late, sanitary facilities being inadequate, lack of text books and other stationery material while teacher absenteeism is a common practice.
Let us not forget that the school dropout rate stands at 7.8%, as well as the low completion rate of only 52%, with girls being the most affected. This does not in any way reflect high quality education; it is some of the above conditions that Government should work tirelessly on to address in order to reverse the negative impact on the UPE programme.
This recommendation by Parliament is therefore very welcome and timely given the prevailing circumstances.
Timothy Opobo
University College Dublin
The second millennium development goal to which Uganda subscribes, aims to achieve universal primary education by 2015. The UPE programme was introduced by Government in 1997. It is Government policy to provide education to all children of school-going age. According to this policy, access, equity, quality and relevance must be guaranteed.
The recently released PLE results reflected a 4.8% improved performance compared to 2008, in which probably the worst results were registered since the start of the programme. President Museveni recently remarked that the results demonstrated quality in the programme.
He was also quick to point out and rightly so, the issue of inconsistent inspection of schools, as one of the key obstacles to improved academic standards in primary schools in Uganda. It was also comforting to note, that the President was very clear on the issue of parents providing lunch for their children, since many parents had previously misunderstood his statement on this, totally neglecting their obligation to provide food.
In the past this led to many pupils only attending classes for half the day, and taking the afternoons off to find something to eat. In some unfortunate cases this has had detrimental consequences on the children, for example in the case where 11 girls from Kimasa Primary School, Mpumude division in Jinja district, escaped to steal mangoes but ended up being defiled, four of getting 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. However, the challenges affecting the UPE programme are not necessarily limited to inspection and lunch.
According to the 2008, UPE Child monitoring Report compiled by the African Network-for Prevention and Protection Against abuse and Neglect -Uganda Chapter, children pointed out that the number of teachers is inadequate, and the few teachers available are demoralised by poor pay, inadequate classrooms, UPE funds being remitted to schools late, sanitary facilities being inadequate, lack of text books and other stationery material while teacher absenteeism is a common practice.
Let us not forget that the school dropout rate stands at 7.8%, as well as the low completion rate of only 52%, with girls being the most affected. This does not in any way reflect high quality education; it is some of the above conditions that Government should work tirelessly on to address in order to reverse the negative impact on the UPE programme.
This recommendation by Parliament is therefore very welcome and timely given the prevailing circumstances.
Timothy Opobo
University College Dublin