CHILD LABOUR LEADING TO HIGH LEVEL OF ABSENTEEISM IN IBUGA PRIMARY SCHOOL.

“There is reduction in the general school pupils’ enrollment as a result of the conflicts in the region” said Mr. Kule Barnabasi head teacher Ibuga primary school. This was revealed during the one day teacher exchange learning visit that was hosted at Ibuga primary school on 30^thJune 2016.

Pupils lining up for their lunch at Ibuga primary school

Due to school violence, the process of learning and development has been seriously put into jeopardy which has greatly affected the children’s well being and education. It is worth noting that the school provides porridge to pupils for lunch and a girl changing room during their special days of the month has been put in place to respond to some of the violence cases in school.

To decampaign school violence, RIC-NET/RWECO organized a teacher exchange learning visit aimed at sharing learning experience and how teachers can go about VAC in the school whose aims are; to inspect the teachers’ public code of conduct both in class and outside class, to find out how the teachers in the host school handle children both in class and outside class.
Cases of violence prevailing in Ibuga such as Hard labour which leads to absenteeism, tribal clashes which puts children at the centre stage of effects, early marriages, Defilement due to conflicts the region, luck of privacy exposing children to sexual violence, economic violence, moving long distances in search for water especially during the dry season which puts their girl children at the risk of being raped were discussed.

Teachers touring around Ibuga primary school

Over ten schools of Kanyatsi primary school, Kyabikere primary school, Kamasasa primary school, Karambi primary school, Kiburara primary school, Mundongo primary school, Katwe primary school, Katwe quarran primary school, St.Johns Bukangara among other schools and the inspector of schools Kasese district Mr.Biryande Edson, the area LCI chairperson  Mr.Kyomya respectively participated in the visit. 
 Teachers were advised to be agents of change in the community in order for the pupils to become responsible citizens.

Head teacher Ibuga explaining explaining to the visiting teachers.

THE UGANDA-CONGO BORDER AFFECTING CHILDREN'S ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN KASESE.

The Uganda –Congo border has two market days (Tuesday and Friday) which exposes children to the high urge for money and hooliganism such as alcoholism,smoking, commercial sex, robbery,child labour among others  at a tender age  leading to absenteeism, poor academic performance, drop outs from school, early marriages etc . Due to this,  parents of Kamasasa primary school held a meeting on 23^rd June 2016  to discuss the well being of their children while at school.The meeting was attended by the chairperson PTA Mr. Katswera Zaverio who  urged parents to nurture /teach their children good behaviors so that the teachers can continue from there and not to engage their children in hard labour as this affects their academic performance.

The school head teacher Mr. Muhindo Zaverio sighted out the most common challenges in school as failure by parents to provide food for their children while at school, poor attendance in parent’s meetings, early pregnancies among other challenges.

The Head teacher giving his remarks

 Also in attendance was the area councilor Mr. Muhindo Paddy who urged parents to teach and provide materials for their adolescent girls for them to handle their menstrual periods comfortably as this was one of the reasons adolescent girls mainly absent from school as mentioned by the senior woman teacher.

The senior woman presenting girl  child challenges

At the end of the meeting the parents pledged to always pack food for their children and for those children who come from near to always go back home and have food, and to always attend meetings to understand their children’s education. Parents also agreed to work hand in hand with police to stop children from indulging in market day activities which expose to various forms of violence.

RICNET AWARDS HOUSEHOLD WITH GOOD HOUSE HYGIENE AND SANITATION IN KASESE.

RICNET staff addressing the women on the issues concerning hygiene and VAC

Kitholhu sub-county in Kasese district located on the slopes of Mt. Rwenzori still experience extreme poverty levels, ignorance and illiteracy. This area is characterized with food insecurity, poorly constructed homes, limited access to basic services like medical care, education and clean water among others. 

Basing on that background, RICNET therefore organized household competitions for Kitholhu sub-county in the villages of Bulemera and Kibisire to determine the best homestead. This process was guided by an assessment tool that considered the number of people in household, sanitation facilities like state of the main house, kitchen, latrine, rubbish pit, drying wire, and immunized children in homes among others.
RICNET staff came together with the Assistant Health Officers, Community Development Officers, and Chairpersons LCIs of these areas as they visited every competing household.

After this rigorous exercise, the following were declared winners;

·         Muhindo Esteri

·         Nyesi Bwambale

·         Jetrida Kahighe

·         John Kahighe

·         Mangadalene Busimbe

Awarding of the best participant

All the competing households were given bars of washing and bathing soap. This aimed at improving the general hygiene and sanitation in the homes targeting children as some families tend to neglect children in terms of hygiene ,providing for them basic needs like food ,education among others. We hope this will encourage parents to take care of their children and provide for them as one way of preventing violence against children . Over 30 households participated and were drawn from Bulemera women group and some community homes.

There were however some crosscutting shortcomings that were identified majority of the competing households which included lack of rubbish pits, absence of food stores, no kitchen gardens, unprotected water sources, people sharing the same house with animals which especially affects the general wellbeing of the children and women.

 Women posing their gifts after the function

PARENTS RESPOND TO CHILDREN’S CHALLENGE OF LUNCH.

A parent emphasizing a point during the parents meeting.

"There is no reason why we should stay at home with plenty of food yet our children are spending long hours at schools on empty stomachs" said Mr.Kasimoto Ernest.Parents of Kyabikere primary school have agreed to contributing food on a monthly basis for the pupils to have lunch at school. This was resolved during a one day parents meeting held at the school premises on 23^rd June 2016 to plan for the well being, stay in school and prevention of violence against children. Among other things that were resolved during the meeting were; senior woman teacher should consistently monitor the girl pupils to maintain the hygiene of the girls during their special days of the month, parents should keep a keen eye on the friends their children make, dialogue with their children, Monitor their children’s school attendance, give career guidance to their children, appreciate their children the way they are and include them in decision making.

The district inspector of schools addressing the parents on VAC issues

This parents meeting was attended by approximately 120 people among whom was the district inspector of schools Mr.Biryande Edson, Sub County chief Mr. Mr.Thawithemwira Eric, the district councilor Mr. Kisole Yonasani, parents and the school staff. In his speech, Mr.Biryande who was the guest of honour urged parents to respect the education journey their children are taking. “The education journey is the longest journey one can ever move, so we should ensure that our children complete that journey” he said. He further emphasized that parents should love their children, provide for them as that even the children carry that love to school. Mr.Edson said parents should frequently visit the school to monitor their children’s education journey and also bridge a link between the children and their teachers.

The meeting left many parents speechless for realizing that they have been ignorantly violating their children thus agreed upon making sure that they support the school to create zero violence against children. They said it should be a collective responsibility to make sure that children go to school, stay in school and complete school to have a happy generation in the near future.