Scholarships
Background
Education has been identified as the most efficient way
out of poverty yet many children are unable to obtain the quality of
education needed to advance. In Uganda, the Universal Primary Education
(UPE) programme was introduced a few years ago to enable children to
access free (or almost free) education. Previously, children attended
private schools according to what they could afford. The intention of
the UPE programme was to provide children with a better education.
However, UPE schools were not accessible to all children so many had no
choice to where they attended. Urban centres were provided UPE schools
but most children live in the rural areas. This meant that they were
forced to walk long distances (6 or more kilometers), attend whatever
private school was available, regardless of standards or not go to
school at all. There are many unregistered schools in rural areas, run
by well meaning but unskilled and unprepared people or run by
unscrupulous owners that provide poor quality education in exchange for
high profits.
UPE schools have a poor reputation which is why parents
tend to avoid them. Teacher absenteeism is extremely high, leaving
students on their own. Education boards are lax in their discipline of
this situation. Other problems include the automatic advancement of a
child, regardless of how poorly they do and the lack of any food
programme. Many children have no food during school days, leaving them
to concentrate on their empty stomachs instead of their studies. As a
result, the failure rate of children graduating from P7 is extremely
high.
Quality private schools in urban areas can be extremely
expensive, thus creating a greater wedge in the fight for equality. An
examination, produced by the Ugandan Department of Education, is written
by all graduating P7 students. This is known as the Primary Leaving
Examination (PLE) and is critical because it can determine the child's
future. For those students that do not do well, they have difficulty in
getting placement in secondary school. They are also ineligible for any
government sponsorship or funding. Even the brightest students who
lacked the quality education required, tend not to rate in the top
grade. There has been a movement to recognize this inequality and more
leniency given to rural children but it still does not change the fact
that many rural children lack the education required to advance.
Recently, "free" education for secondary education was
introduced. Less than 10% of applicants were able to be accommodated. To
help alleviate the situation, the USE (Universal Secondary Education)
was expanded to allow qualifying students to attend private secondary
schools. This is a step in the right direction. Unfortunately,
competition is high and not all children get accepted into secondary
school.
It should be noted that "free" is not totally free.
Students still must pay for school requirements and/or examination fees
and uniforms. In a case of secondary school, most are in more urban
areas so rural children require accommodations or a means to get to
school. This can add up to a cost far beyond a simple farmer's income.
What We Propose
There are bright children in
rural areas whose intelligence and talents are wasted because they lack the funds to go to
school. It is not reasonably logical to help everyone but it is possible
to help those that display the desire to learn and advance. Our aim is
assist a few graduating students so they can continue their education
for another 4-6 years. Their
need may be as little as $200 or as high as
$800 per year, depending on their situation
and the school they attend.
This need will be required for the 2010 school year.
This is a long term commitment and anyone willing to
sponsor a student should be prepared to continue for six years. Sponsors
will be provided school records, receipts and, of course, a picture of
the student(s). Tekera Primary would administer the funds and pay the
secondary school directly, fulfill the student requirements and report
to the sponsor, the results of the student.
For 2010, we have been able
to obtain boarding placement at a rural secondary school for $400 per
year. This includes all fees and requirements along food & lodging. A
room usually has 12+ students in 3 tier bunk beds. Food is mainly porsho
(steamed maize flour) and beans. This is a common meal and healthier
than a burger & fries. While I'm sure a student in North America would
grimace, this is actually an improvement in living for most village
children. We are also collecting a one time amount of $150 to buy things
like a mattress, sheets, shoes etc that are needed for school.
It is possible to change the world, one life at a time.
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