KAMPALA - New Vision has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Private Education Development Network (PEDN) to promote girl child education especially in private schools.

Under the agreement, New Vision together with PEDN will write articles that will be run in New Vision's Newspapers in Education (NIE) pullout every Wednesday.

The two-term project is dubbed 'Girls Education Challenge' (GEC).

PEDN executive director Nixon Ochatre, while signing the deal at New Vision head offices in Kampala, said the project is a platform in which challenges affecting the girl child while studying shall be addressed.

He said they are working in three districts - Wakiso, Jinja and Mukono - in 190 schools, reaching out to 11,800 direct beneficiaries.

Financial education, planning and budgeting, saving and responsible spending, rights and responsibilities are some of the things the beneficiaries are being taught.

PEDN is also helping the girls access financial services and helping them deal with problems that they face when entering, staying and transiting to the next level while in school.

"This is a platform in which we shall be engaging girls and parents and other readers out there on how they can contribute towards the three steps," said Ochatre.

"New Vision, PEDN and even the beneficiaries shall be writing articles on the best ways they think we can improve the education of a girl child."

Ben Opolot, Vision Group's managing editor of the English newspapers, said PEDN could not have chosen a better paper than New Vision because of its size, experience, mobilization, reach and impact.

"Education is at the centre of human existence and any efforts intended to help someone, especially the girl child, to realize their ability to understand, grow and develop, is always welcome."

Opolot said what PEDN is doing is a commendable strategic intervention and New Vision is willing to continue working with them to promote the agenda.