Tekera Resource Centre

Tekera Primary School opened on 21st May 2007 with 160 students. The new school is the result of a joint venture between St. Francis Primary School, Lwega, and Tekera Resource Centre. St Francis School had been operating in Tekera/Lwega since 1986 under the leadership of headmaster Francis Kiweewa. St Francis School had no buildings and classes were conducted under trees, which meant that all the classes were often taught together. Mr. Kiweewa and TRC agreed to work together to develop a new permanent school for the children of the local community. There is no boarding section to insure the school is for local children only. Mr. Kiweewa has closed St Francis Primary School and now is a director of TRC.

The new school has 4 large classrooms and 2 smaller ones nearby. The school has employed 6 qualified teachers, in additional to a classroom assistant for our new nursery class. The school has seven classes, P1-P6 plus nursery and will develop P7 in 2009. Pupils sit the Primary Level Certificate (PLE) exam at the end of P7 to complete their primary education. Under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) initiative, all primary education in Uganda is free of charge but many parents prefer to send their children to private schools as the standard is often better. Also, many UPE schools are too far for many children in villages. Only 55% of school aged children attend Primary School in Uganda, despite the free fees initiative. Tekera Primary School is classified as a private school as it is not run by the state but the school fees charged are small, even by local standards. From P1-P6 the fees are 10,000 UGX per term with 500 shillings due for end of term exams.

The teachers have been kept busy settling the children into their new school and organizing the classrooms, schemes of work, parent teacher association and after school activities. Thanks to volunteers, the school has also been able to purchase a full set of curriculum text books, school equipment and drums.