Monday 28 October 2013

CFSU REVIEWS LOBBYS AND ADVOCATES FOR EPP ACTIVITIES AT TOORO RESORT ON 23RD /9/2013

The reviewing lobbing and advocacy exercise took place at Tooro resort on 23rd. /9 2013. The aim of the exercise was to review the work so far done, and to plan for the future of  the project beyond its span. The workshop targeted the stakeholders of the District with an aim of showcasing to them activities so far done as well as lobby for their support during and after the project span.
The occasion was honored by the presence of  the assistant C.A.O Mr. Mwebesa Perez, Mr.Ikagobya Moses vice chair Kabarole, the D.E.O Kabarole Mr. Rwakaikara Patrick , the inspector of schools in charge of Bunyangabu Kwezi Gorret the E.O SNE Mrs. Angwena Harriet, the Reverend Abigaba Robert member of C.O.U foundation body ,Sheich Tumwebaze  Ramadah member of Islam founded schools, Mr. Kankya Blaise EPP Teacher coordinator, CCT Atuhaire Alex of Rubona CC MS Kabagenyi Jacinta CCT of Buhinga CC the C4C member Mrs. Kabiito Rest, Miss Kichoncho Annet the education department secretary  and the S.E O Kabarole Mr. Balinda  Christopher
                    Participants in the meeting sessions

In her communication CFSU Program officer thanked the stakeholders of the District for their support since inception meeting to date. She also highlighted members on what EPP  stands for as Education Programmatic Plan and gave the background information about the project saying that this project came out of the concern that Literacy and numeracy Levels were going down due to poor performance in English Language .For this reason CFSU had to find a solution for improving the approach to teaching language thus the birth of non- conventional innovative methods of teaching / learning.
                   The program officer addressing the gathering
She went on to review the reports of 2012-2013 right from the needs survey point  saying during the survey exercise, it was discovered that literacy and numeracy levels were going down due to:
·         Insufficient instructional materials (text books and other scholastic  materials)
·         Un motivated teachers
·         High Teacher pupil ratio
·         Lack of school clubs like MDD debate  writing drawing
·         Non-creative methods of teaching/learning
·         Teachers being forced to handle classes they are uncomfortable with
·         Poor infrastructure
·         SMCs/PTAs were not fully aware of their roles in schools

Among the challenges mentioned were:

·         Some teachers and heads of schools were not comfortable with getting on board because they thought it was going to be an extra load  adding on the existing load burden
·         Some schools like Rwimi had just gotten a new head teacher a thing that made information gathering difficult
·         Some schools were in hard to reach areas
·         Funds available could not comfortably solve all  the existing problems
·         Time management is a major problem in this area
·         Some schools were not connected to electricity so materials like on CDS could not be utilized fully

Solutions to the problems / challenges:
·         Several workshops were held in bid to make the teachers embrace and understand the need for the project in their schools
·         Information sharing and  gathering has continued
·         The problem of hard to reach areas is still unsolved only commitment and persistence has proved to be the only way out
·         Activities  to be held have to be within the planned budget meaning spending must be within the means available
·         Continuous lecturing about time management has proved to be the only solution
·         Schools that are not connected to power go to sister schools and plan their lessons there
·         150 teachers have been capacity built and equipped with non-conventional innovative methods of teaching / learning of English language to break the monotony of the old traditional methods of teaching.
·         Teachers have been given skills to handle big classes
·         Constant counseling of teachers and encouraging them to operate money  generating ventures beside their salary has continued
·         School clubs have been strengthened and created in schools that did not have them
·         315 SCMs /PTAs have been sensitized about their roles in schools

The program officer ended the report review saying that CFSU has not only improved the schools but that the Education department has also benefitted from the project  sighting that they had been given one computer and one printer to help them in their day to day endeavors. She also took this opportunity to report to the members that three of the beneficiary schools I.e. Mugusu p/s, Kasiisi/p/s and Rubona p/s had gone ICT and had received each a computer loaded with ready to use language materials ranging from p4-p6 and that this had been done in bid to help the teachers dealing with big loads.
She said the number of pupils reached out so far is about 12,000,000 from the following schools:
Bwanika p/s
Kasiisi p/s
Rubona p/s
Rwimi p/s
Kibiito p/s
Karambi “B” p/s
Kabata p/s
Kiboota p/s
Mugusu p/s
Kigarama p/s
Haibale p/s
Canon Apollo p/s
Mtns. Of the moon p/s
Paul Devlin p/s
Busiita p/s
She said though they had officially gone in for fifteen schools they had in actual sense operated in many more. However she expressed her fears about the sustainability of the project come 2015.
Having gone through the reports, she allowed members to react.
The S, E, O Mr. Balinda hailed CFSU for the partnering with the District to educate the children of Uganda. He said according to him building roads does not build a nation but capacity building does so.  He said the Education department is ready to stand with CFSU at all times.
The EO SNE Mrs. Angwena was overwhelmed with the amount of work that had been covered within such a short time. She  commended CFSU for the good work done and said she is noticing some difference in both the teachers and pupils in the project schools  and wished to see all the schools in Kabarole benefitting from the project.
The ASCAO asked CFSU to forgive his office for not being so available saying that the changes in their office have affected the way they operate. He ended on a good note of also commending CFSU for the good work so far done. Finally he asked CFSU to consider giving his office some computers saying the situation was quite alarming.
The inspector of schools in charge of Burahya Ms. Kwezi Gorret sighted an occasion when she visited Karambi “B” with a team of foreigners who were entertained so well and she owed it to the preparedness of EPP program running in the school.
CCT kabagenyi said she had worked as a facilitator and she too had made lots of friends and believed the program was appropriate for the teachers and pupils. Also she commended the quality of CFSU’s computers saying that they were of great quality.
The EPP Teacher coordinator Mr. Kankya Blaise shared a very moving testimony that moved the congregation when he said that the guidance he got during workshops made  him both  a good teacher and  a millionaire through bricklaying
WAYFORWARD AFTER PROJECT SPAN
On the challenges of lack funds-members 0f Education department said they could not commit themselves to promise their contribution but they promised to table the issue in their financial plan of 2014. . They said the after-math was what they feared most for they did not wish to see the effort of CFSU go to the drains.
The assistant C.A.O Promised to write an official acceptance letter to CFSU as soon as possible.
Members also suggested that as a solution of continuity after the project span the following could be tried out:
1.      Schools could do some hand work and sell to the community and fund rise this way
2.      Schools could do annual music concerts and let parents/community pay entry fee of about 1,000 shillings the money collected then would be used to support the club’s activities.
3.      The district could also learn to dig deep into their pockets and help out since these programs augment educational objectives.
4.      Most members present promised support whenever wherever.
 .                     Vice chair Kabarole closing the session
 Finally Mr.Ikagobya Moses the vice chair Kabarole in his closing remarks was short of words to describe CFSU! He hailed women administrators saying that to his astonishment he had discovered that wherever a woman is there is a success story! In his own words he said “I can’t believe that all these good stories are coming from the humble group of people I saw last year in the inception meeting.” He also commended the good work done and was hopeful that next year would produce even better results!
  Participants pose for a group photo after the workshop




BUHINGA PRIMARY SCHOOL HOLDS YET ANOTHER EPP INTER SCHOOL MDD / DEBATE COMPETITIONS.

All roads led to Buhinga primary school on 24th August 2013 to witness yet another of the EPP Music Dance and Drama / Debate competition!
As a way of improving pupils’ communicative skills co-curricular activities like Debate Music Dance and Drama have been adopted to enhance the teaching / learning the four aspects of language i.e. listening speaking, reading and writing.
                

















                  Project schools competing for the 2013 MDD/Debate award
The aim of inter school competitions is to tap the pupils potential streamline it so that we come out with well-grounded pupils with good communicative skills that they can use in their day to day life.
It’s for this reason that all the fifteen project schools sent 255 participants to Buhinga p/s to showcase their talents.


                            Pupils assemble for the National anthems
The National theme for the year 2013 is on Malaria prevention and children’s rights observance. The traditional dances, the set pieces, Drama skit and the Debate motion all rotated that theme.
The occasion kicked off with the arrival of participants as early as 7:30am.
By eight, most schools had arrived and without delay they all gathered in the main hall for the National and Tooro anthems. Set pieces followed, then Debate, Drama and lastly traditional dances followed suit.
Present were the D.E.O  Kabarole  Mr. Rwakaikara Patrick, the D.I.S Kabarole  Mr. Rujumba Joseph, the D.E.O special needs  Mrs. Harriet Angwena  D.E.O Special needs, Head teachers and teachers of the project schools in total made 51( teachers 23 male, 29 female).Also present were parents, teachers and pupils from non-project schools who had come to witness the occasion.
 Also present were the three adjudicators Mr. Kajura Nelson a Debate expert from Buhinga primary school, Mr. David Mweru a Drama specialist from Kahinju primary school and Mr. Rogers Ayesiga a dance analyst also from Buhinga Primary school.

The morning session saw the choral singing take the curtain raiser position, Debate followed and lastly Drama.  There was a lunch break of about 20 minutes after which the activity caught fire and run unbroken till 5:30 pm ending with Traditional dances after which speeches and words of caution/ encouragement from both the invited guests and the adjudicators followed.
The district inspector of schools Mr. Rujumba took the floor first. He first of all thanked Computers for schools for bringing back clubs that build and give confidence to the pupils!
                        D.I.S Mr. Rujumba Joseph addressing the audience
He thanked the teachers for the work well done amidst marking exams and report making. He said his wish was to see this kind of thing continue and spread to the most remote areas like Bagayap/s and many others. He lastly ushered in the D.E.O to address the congregation.
The D.E.O also started on the same note of commending computers for schools for having come up with the idea of bringing back clubs that had long been forgotten. He thanked teachers present for all the effort they had put in to see to it that this occasion becomes successful. He however cautioned them against giving lame excuses of funds as an excuse for abandoning the school clubs saying a thing like Debate just needs pupils a class and a committed teacher. He hailed the performance as good considering that there had not been many club activities in some schools for a long time.
In his own words, he summarized by saying” I commend you teachers for the work well done, given chance I wouldn’t bring out such results in such a short time”. He again put in a request to computers for schools to widen their scope of operation so as to give chance to the other unprivileged schools.
Next on line was a representative of the panel of adjudicators Mr. Mweru David who addressed the audience saying “I am glad that this year’s performance was better than last years for every one could see and feel the spirit of competition” 
Mr. Mweru David addressing the participants
He went on to point out areas he was disappointed with as:
·         Trainers are not supposed to sing and yet he had heard some sing
·         Drama only becomes drama if there is an element of conflict in it or else it just becomes an ordinary story
·               Characters are not supposed to play two roles giving an example of a pupil who had acted two roles: one as an old man in one scene and another as a young boy in the next scene.
·         Facial expressions should depict the feelings of the beholder let joy be joy and sadness be sadness he gave an example of a character who had smiled in a meant to be sad moment.
·         Lastly, he commended the teachers for the work well done saying there was a great improvement between last year’s performance and this year. He said he is expecting even greater and better results come 2014.
Next on the floor was Mrs. Harriet Angwena who  mainly re-echoed the former speakers words but also adding that  the 15 schools that are in the EPP programs should count themselves lucky in that no one can take what they have learnt from them. She encouraged members to try their level best to see to it that the co- curricular activities do not get into a slumber again. She asked them to keep the fire burning even after the project has come to an end.
Since she had been assigned the duty of handing over awards to pupils prior to her speech she stayed on stage waiting for the results to be announced.  Not long after her address Mr. Kajura Nelson got up to announce the results. He thanked members for  such a degree of patience they had displayed and went ahead to remind the audience about the results of writing and drawing competition that had taken place a fort unite ago were to be announced together with those of MDD  Debate ones. He then went on to announce results of MDD and Debate thus:
                                                                           DEBATE, MDD 2013 COMPETITION
NO
SCHOOLS
DEBATE
POSITION
SKIT
WESTERN CHORAL SONG
TRADITIONAL DANCE
TOTAL
POSITION
1
Bwanika p/s
39
15th
57
61
81
238
9th
2
Rubona p/s
63
7th
61
62
82
268
4th
3
Busiita p/s
44
14th
44
-
-
088
14th
4
Mugusu p/s
47
13th
65
64
68
244
7th
5
Kasiisi p/s
74
2nd
66
80
77
297
1st
6
Haibale p/s
54
10th
57
62
54
225
11th
7
Kigarama p/s
63
7th
73
75
75
286
2nd
8
Mtns of the
moon           
51
11th
60
60
56
217
12th
9
Conon Apollo demo p/s
66
6th
65
61
67
259
6th
10
Kabata p/s
55
9th
53
64
42
214
13th
11
Kibiito p/s
68
5th
68
60
68
264
5th
12
Kiboota p/s
72
3rd
58
57
56
243
8th
13
Karambi p/s
70
4th
60
65
42
237
10th
14
Rwimi p/s
78
1st
74
59
58
269
3rd
15
Paul Devilne p/s
49
12th
-
-
-
049
15th
He also went on to announce the writing and drawing results thus:

                                                                                        WRITING AND DRAWING COMPETITION 2013
No
School
Writing
Marks
Position
Drawing
Marks
Position
1
Bwanika p/s
51
48
40
139
14th
72
60
60
192
9th
2
Rubona  p/s
67
60
59
186
7th
68
65
45
178
11th
3
Busiita  p/s
28
13
04
 45
15th
68
61
55
184
10th
4
Mugusu p/s
75
68
50
211
3rd
79
78
35
192
8th
5
Kasiisi p/s
82
80
60
222
1st
78
78
68
224
4th
6
Haibale p/s
78
75
50
203
5th
88
84
81
253
1st
7
Kigarama p/s
82
73
74
154
12th
77
76
74
227
3rd
8
Mtns of the moon p/s
67
60
50
177
9th  
30
13
30

73

14th
9
Canon Apollo demo p/s
68
65
53

186
7th
74
74
60
208
5th
10
Kabata p/s
60
59
50
168
11th
70
68
-
138
12th
11
Kibiito p/s
75
72
70
217
2nd

72
70
60
202
6th
12
Kiboota p/s
69
64
60
193
6th
80
77
70
227
3rd
13
Karambi B p/s
67
62
50
179
8th
69
68
62
199
7th
14
Rwimi p/s
86
60
58
204
4th
85
82
70
237
2nd
15
Paul Devilne p/s
65
60
50
175
10th
27
17
15
59
15th






















Mrs. Angwena performed the duty of handing over the trophies / prizes to the participants. 
               D.E.O for special needs Mrs. Harriet Angwena giving out prizes.
There were 4 trophies, one for Debate which was taken by Rwimi primary school, one for MDD that was taken by Kasiisi primary school, one for writing that was taken by Rwimi p/s again and lastly one for drawing that was taken by Haibale p/s respectively.
Among the best individual performers were:
·         Atuhaire Olivia from Kibiito p/s who emerged as the first best actor
·         Atusingunza Mathias from Mugusu p/s emerged as the second best actor
·         Tusiime benedet from Kigarama emerged as the third best actor
·         Asiimwe John  from Kigarama also took the forth position as an actor
·         Tumwine Andrew from Rubona came out as one of the best dancer
·         Mbabazi Lucy from Bwanika also took the second place as a dancer
·         Byaruhanga Joseph from Bwanika took the third position as a dancer
·         Kamakune Jennifer from Kiboota took the fifth place as the best actor
·         Twebaze Alex from Rwimi emerged as the best debater
·         Byaruhanga Dalton also from Rwimi took the best place as the best artist
All the best participants received prizes like geometry sets, wall clocks, pencils, pens, wall hangings and colors.  
The occasion came to an end at 6:15pm with a grand dance that took the winners and the losers to the floor as networking continued.
 The deputy Head teacher of Kasiisi receiving the overall winner’s trophy.                                            
                                        Winners dancing to their victory   
ACHIEVEMENTS
1.       Pupils and teachers were able network with other pupils and learn more.
2.       The long time dead clubs have been revived
3.       Stake holders saw the use and need of co-curricular activities in schools
CHALLENGES
1.       To organize such functions comfortably is a very expensive venture.
2.       Time keeping is a problem.
3.       Not every teacher is in full support of the recovery of these programs.
4.       In some of the schools there are no music teachers to train pupils so that makes is expensive in a way that trained services must be hired from outside.