Ayillo II refugee settlement gets a sh86m classroom block

Nov 23, 2017

The sh86m project at Liberty Primary School is in the refugee camps and it will accommodate 330 pupils

The new block under construction. Photos by Andrew Masinde

It was all excitement on Wednesday as refugees from Ayillo II refugee settlement in Adjumani district witnessed the official commissioning of a classroom block in their camp.

The sh86m project at Liberty Primary School in camp will accommodate 330 pupils.

The project is being financed by Dubai Cares and implemented by Plan International Uganda.

Adjumani district has poor education infrastructure and is struggling to cope with numbers of large pupils of South Sudanese refugees.

James Leku, the Adjumani chairperson with Tariq Al Gurg, the CEO Dubai cares during the launch of the school

Speaking at the event, Tariq Al Gurg, the chief executive officer of Dubai Cares said the project is aimed at supporting children displaced by the South Sudan conflict and the host communities in the district.

"The programme will improve access to quality primary education for children, especially the marginalised girls in refugee communities," he noted.

Augustine Entipu, the head of operations at Plan noted that the South Sudan conflict demands that stakeholders co-ordinate and align their efforts to ensure that the needs of all refugees and host communities are met.

Pupils in the old structures

"The education needs of children are immense and with the continuing influx of refugees, majority of them are not enrolled for education, causing major protection concerns.

"Hence there is need to focus on access to quality education for both girls and boys as this will lead to relevant and effective learning outcomes," says Entipu.

James Leku, the Adjumani district chairperson, says the classroom will greatly boost the education of the children in the area.

He stressed that Adjumani is faced with a challenge of few schools, yet the number of children is ever increasing due to the refugee influx.

"We are grateful to all partners who are supporting us. Indeed we continue to seek for more," he noted.

Patricia Ijorea, a teacher noted that the classroom is going to help the children to concentrate. She noted that it was always hard for them to control pupils in an open class.

"Children who study under trees have to be sent home during rainy season. Indeed permanent classrooms will help," she stressed.

 

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