URDT promoting education of the girl child
Providing education to the disadvantaged girls of Kibaale District is one of the unique programmes run by the Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme based in Kagadi, Kibaale District. The programme aims at transforming the community at all levels.
Recognizing that education, training and information sharing are the integral components of development, URDT started a schools reconstruction programme in 1989 through which 7 schools in Buyaga County were reconstructed in conjunction with UNICEF and set up a study scholarship funding for girls.
Unfortunately for URDT, this was not creating the desired change for transformation. Due to that, URDT established a school for disadvantaged girls all over the district.
"The school was started to provide talented disadvantaged girls in Kibaale District with transformation and value based education that shapes character and personality," says the school headteacher of the school, Owens Berunga.
Currently, the boarding school caters for both primary school and secondary school education for the girls. Berunga says that the girl child in Kibaale is not valued much by the parents and so providing education to her is neither a priority nor a need. "From primary one to three, the number of girls attending school is high, but starting from primary four, the numbers drop and in primary five the drop out percentage is high," Berunga says.
He says this is because the parents see the girl as grown up and more profitable than when she is in school. Currently, it is providing education to 240 girls from poor and disadvantaged households who cannot afford school fees for the girls. Due to this, most of the girls are married off.
GOING SCIENCE: Girls in a chemistry lab.
The school head teacher also boasts of a unique education that is given to the girls. "The school looks at education in a unique way with a mission of imparting skills and knowledge for excellency and happiness," he says.
A two generation approach is used by the school where parents/guardians and their daughters acquire concurrently personal, social and economic development skills. All this is aimed at linking formal over primary and secondary education to poverty eradication.
"A parent whose daughter joined the school in primary five will have gained a lot by the time the daughter reaches senior six. Through the parents' end of term workshops on various issues affecting the development of community," says Berunga.
In this way, URDT is supporting the development of both the future generation (students) and the current generation (parents). URDTGS has designed a co-curricular programme which is applied alongside and integrated with government's mandatory curriculum. The unique approach promotes academic success as well as skills development for the girl students to act as change agents in their homes and communities. This is done in combination with a programme to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes of their home members.
Community transformation is enhanced by the school through take home projects, popular theatre, conscious raising campaigns at school, development focused radio programmes, agricultural practices at its demonstration farm, essay writing competitions, debates, fine arts, vocational training and sports competitions.
URDT's community radio station, Kagadi Kibaale Community Radio (KKCR) plays a vital role in all that URDT does. On the air 365 days a year, 16 hours per day, KKCR broadcasts thousands of educational programs each year, reaching a listenership of four million people in a 50-mile radius around Kagadi.
Among the areas which the radio covers effectively are Kibaale, Bundibugyo, Fort Portal , Hoima, Masindi, Mubende, Kamwenge, Kasese, Kiboga and Kyenjojo. It offers educational and participatory programming on human rights, land rights, health, family relations, education, gender consciousness and politics.
"As a community radio station, part of KKCR's mission is to give a voice to the people. Locals of all kinds - leaders, men, women, and children participate in KKCR programs, whether to present information, give testimonials, or ask questions. Programs feature debates and call-in discussions," says Anthony Lwanga, the station manager.
Besides the radios, the girl students talk about development issues during community meetings in holidays and there is also a programme where the drama group performs on issues to do with development.
KKCR also serves as a substitution for phone service - travelers may stop by to broadcast a message to their loved ones to let them know that they're almost there. Every Sunday afternoon, children line up to pre-record greetings to family and friends.
"We have children's programmes every Sunday and Saturday where children discuss children's rights, talk to their parents about their education, sexuality and also about life skills," Lwanga says.
KKCR programs educate the community about rural development and human development and also promote civic engagement. Some of the topics addressed by KKCR include Human Rights / Domestic Violence, Land Rights, HIV/AIDS & Health Issues, youth Health & Sexuality where URDT students hold weekly programs on health related issues, discussing matters of sexuality, growth and development; Governance & Transparency and Peace-Building.
