Japan funds reconstruction of 3 northern Uganda schools

By Anita Atuhaire and Francis Kagolo

The Japanese government has given Uganda a sh655m ($246,723) grant to rehabilitate three schools in northern Uganda in a drive aimed at boosting education standards in the region.

The beneficiaries include Eruba and Obiya primary schools in Arua and Gulu districts respectively as well as Namasale Seed Secondary School in Amolatar district.

The three are usually among the poor performing districts in the national examinations. For instance, only 1.6% of the 8,491 PLE candidates in Arua passed in Division One last year. Amolatar got 2.3% while Gulu recorded 3.7%.

Rebecca Bisaso, the head teacher of Namasale, which received sh210m for the construction of a girls’ dormitory, said the initiative will save female students from putting up in the prostitution-laden trading centre.

 She explained that being a landing site, a number of students have had to share residence with prostitutes and drug addicts, which compromises their academic performance.

 “In 2013, two girls got pregnant and left the school. All the students who performed well in Grade One and Two were last year boys. Only two girls got grade three; the rest got Grade Four and below,” Bisaso said.

“Construction of the dormitory at the school campus will save girls from bad company and enable them to concentrate on their studies.”

The Gulu-based Obiya primary school is also to receive sh283m for the construction of a girls’ dormitory that can accommodate 200 students.

On the other hand, Eruba primary school is to receive sh218 for the construction of a block of four class rooms, a 10-stance latrine and procurement of 108 desks for both teachers and students.

Signing the grant contracts at the embassy, Japanese envoy to Uganda Junzo Fujita, said the Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) aim at promoting sustainable community development.

Under the GGP programme, Japan provides financial assistance to schools and non-profit, development-oriented organizations to support community development projects which directly benefit people at the grassroots level.

Japan has supported a total of 198 such community-based projects worth $19.8m (sh57b) in Uganda since 1992. Besides education, other projects are in the sectors of water and sanitation as well as public health.

“Japan is committed to achieving Uganda’s quality growth, development goals, and consolidation of peace and good governance,” Fujita said.

Godfrey Odama, the head teacher of Eruba primary school, said the school lacked enough furniture, forcing Primary One (P1) and P2 pupils to sit on the bare floor.