Peace Corps create information access for 25,000 Ugandans

Peace Corps-Uganda supported by the US government have created information access for about 25,000 school community members through developing 45 libraries, information and communication technology labs, and resource rooms.

During Peace Corps-Uganda's three-year history in the country, the project has trained more than 12,000 pre-service and in-service teachers in Uganda, and helped improve the reading skills of more than 8,000 students.

As part of the celebrations to mark this achievement, Peace Corps-Uganda, including its 153 Volunteers across the country, will this year celebrate the third national reading day tomorrow (March 17).

The "Drop Everything And Read" (DEAR) day, which Peace Corps-Uganda will celebrate with all its partners countrywide, is aimed at improving the reading culture among Ugandans, according to a statement from the US Embassy in Kampala.

"The day is celebrated as an effort to promote a culture of reading and love of learning on a national scale by encouraging local and national leaders to come together at the same time on the same day, put down whatever else it is they are doing, and engage in reading - whether at the workplace, schools, or home," the statement said.

Peace Corps' Primary Literacy Project aims to improve the quality of primary education through improved classroom instruction and pupil achievement in literacy. Peace Corps-Uganda has 67 of its volunteers working in the education sector as literary specialists in primary schools or teacher trainers at primary teachers' colleges.

Education volunteers work with their communities to promote school-wide positive behaviour systems, equitable engagement strategies, and hands-on learning across all subject areas. The volunteers work with community leaders to enhance citizens' love of reading and learning by establishing school libraries, reading and literacy clubs, and other small projects.

Peace Corps-Uganda partners on DEAR Day include Mango Tree, a local education business promoting literary; the Kampala City Council Authority; Uganda Spelling Bee; Books for Africa; the School Health and Reading Program; the Literary Achievement Retention Activity; Forum for Education NGOs in Uganda; officials from the Ugandan Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Sports; as well as local leaders, tribal officials, and media personalities.

Uganda's adult literacy rate is estimated at 73%. Peace Corps-Uganda and other education advocates seek to draw attention on DEAR Day to the idea of reading together in order to build a stronger attachment to reading as an everyday activity for pleasure.

In low-income countries, studies demonstrate that improved literacy saves lives: researchers have discovered that improved public health in developing countries has a direct link to increased levels of formal schooling and literacy rates.

The Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the United States government to enhance social and economic development. The agency was founded on March 1, 1961 in Washington, D.C by among others, former US President John F. Kennedy, politician Harris Wofford, Mark Shriver, Sargent Shriver and Eunice Kennedy Shriver.   

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