GOOD HOPE -KIBURARA: BEGIN AT HOME AND EXPAND

GOOD HOPE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS SCHOOL PARENTS MEETINGS

Good hope foundation supported the PTA and School management committees in the three primary schools of Kiburara, Karusandara SDA and Kenyange muslim primary school to organize parents meetings. Three parents meetings were organized in the two sub counties of operation where over 300 (173 females and 127 males) parents attended the meetings. The main agenda was to discuss the challenges children go through while at school as well as discussing the development plans for the schools. Among the main challenges presented to the parents included; the high rates of school dropout, decrease in school enrolment especially in Kenyange Muslim, failure of pupils to have lunch at school which affects the afternoon classes as well as pupils performances, poor health facilities of girls such as girl’s wash rooms, changing rooms, sanitary pads that has also affected girls education, late reporting of children during the term beginning, natural disaster especially the strong wind that destroyed kenyange muslim primary school, lack of cooperation and involvement of parents in school affairs especially by not attending school meetings, late coming and escape of both teachers and pupils especially in Kenyange Muslim primary school, poor performance of children and also the culture of parents not to register their children with the head teacher especially in Karusandara SDA and Kenyange Muslim.

Members attributed most of these challenges to parents and teachers who have failed to fulfill their responsibilities as well as the weak school administration committees that fail to implement the parents resolutions, the poor motivation of staff that sometimes bring about late coming and absenteeism of teachers.

In relation to the above, parents where sensitized on violence against children especially how children are violated and how violence affects children basing on the RWECO baseline survey report 2015 on prevention of violence against children and adolescents in Kasese district. Parents were advised not to rely on UPE money since it’s usually little money to facilitate the school programs.

As way forward;

Parents of Kenaynge muslim resolved to create a boarding section for P.7 class beginning third term so as to improve the performance of pupils

Parents also committed themselves to start registering their children and also follow them up at school

Parents from the three schools committed themselves to start and strengthen the lunch initiative for pupils through contributing in kind food staffs. For Kiburara primary school it was resolved by parents that each parents who have a child in P.6 and P.7 should contribute 5kg of maize floor and 2 kg beans as well as 5200 shillings for spices.

On the issue of poor health facilities of girls, parents of Kiburara primary school resolved on constructing a wash room for the girls starting this month of July with a contribution from Good Hope Foundation. Members agreed on each parents to contribute either in cash or in-kind 6000 shillings. From the meeting, two members had committed themselves to bring 300 bricks, one to bring 3 wheel barrows of aggregate and in cash 3 members paid 18000 shillings. Therefore members suggested the construction to start immediately using the already available funds and materials as they wait for other members to bring in their contributions.

Additionally on the issue of sanitary pads for children, parents suggested and agreed to join and participate in the training of pupils in local re-usable sanitary pads that members suggested to Good Hope Foundation hold it as soon as possible in order to improve the health conditions of children.

About the weak management of school administration a challenge that was lighted in Kenyange Muslim primary school, all members agreed to conduct an election in the same meeting. Therefore members had to hold election and a new PTA was established on that very day.

Parents from Karusandara also resolved on contributing 10,000 each towards the construction and renovation of the structure that was destroyed by the strong winds.