However in some parts of the country, people still show negligence in supporting the girl child Education. In Amuru district for instance, many children still drop out from school with girls registering the highest number. In his remarks during the Education Fair at Amuru Lamogi Primary school,the head teacher of the School said, the high rate of girls dropping out from school is one of the challenges being faced in all the primary schools in Amuru District.
The following have been outlined as the major factors causing high rates of drop out at all levels of primary education in the District;
-Social and cultural factors which influence many parents to prefer sending boys rather than girls to school.
-The traditional division of labor in the homes which causes more social demands on girls than in boys.
-Early involvement of girls in marriages as well as their vulnerability to sexual harassment and pregnancy, leading to their ejection from school.
-Inadequacy and deficiency of facilities for girls in the schools such as sanitary pads and changing rooms.
-Poverty is often an important factors that prevents parents from sending girls to school or maintaining them in school.
-Natural physiological and psychosocial changes that occur in girls deter them from competing effectively with boys in academic performance.
-Child headed families; with the war that affected northern Uganda for over twenty years has left many children without their parents and in most cases it is the girl child who takes the responsibility of keeping the siblings.
Currently, Education stakeholders and partners have combined efforts in promoting the education of girls in Amuru District. Girls Education Movement(GEM) Clubs is a national initiative launched in 2001 with support from the forum for African Women Educationists, UNICEF and other partners in the African Girls Education Initiative. The club aims at improving water and sanitation coverage in the schools, girls enrollment, reducing pupils/ stance ratio, separate facilities for girls and boys. These help to make the girls comfortable in school and have courage to learn.
The teachers are also encouraged to create a safe school environment where children can enjoy learning with love and proper care.
The speaker of parliament recently said, the Government of Uganda will take the responsibility of providing sanitary pads for girls in primary schools.
With all these combined efforts, there is high hope that Girl child education will improve in Amuru District.
I woul like to agree with what she has written and also i think if we are to involve the community fully now that there is GEM it will be so great because Gem will need to have Education commettee in every village boadering the school so in that we shall be involving the community fully because the education commeett have to give gaudiance and councelling to especially to the girl child and their parents though the boys are not left out, make follow ups in school and know how the girls are performing and what problems they could be facing andcome out with way forward, set by-laws that all the community abid by.
ReplyDeleteso i wish Amuru as a ditrict have Gem club in every primary and secondry as aFoundermental club because this is the only club that allows the community to stand incharge of education and and their children no one would say its the teachers responsible so lets embrace GEM then will realise great change in the girl child education after five years......
Latifah