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
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