Shortage of classrooms as an impedement to education
ABOUT
Improving Childrens’ Primary Education and Hygiene in Lugazi –Phase 5
Funded by Manos Unidas and by Spanish public agencies, the project is implemented in two rural schools namely; Our lady of Good Counsel Kabimbiri RC and St. Kizito Walubira primary schools in Mukono district.
The general objective of the project is “Contributing to the realization of the right to education and health of children in the diocese of Lugazi”. The project entails the construction of a four classroom block with an administrative office containing head teacher’s office and teachers’ boardroom, construction of a 6 stance lined pit latrine with a wash room and urinal, providing good quality furniture desks, tables, chairs and filing cabins), providing 40,000 liters capacity water tanks, planting of trees on school land, establishing school kitchen gardens.
Progress of Project Activity Implementation
Conducted project inception meetings: Two meetings were held at Kabimbiri RC and St. Kizito Walubira to inform the stakeholders of the beneficiary schools about the project design. This led to the ownership of the project interventions.
Construction of the school block: In each of the targeted 2 schools, a new school block was constructed. The work is already completed.
Construction of a lined pit latrine: A 6 stance latrine constructed at St. Kiziro Walubira PS and it is already in use by the beneficiaries.
Established school kitchen gardens: Several vegetable gardens were established by the students which enabled them acquire knowledge about intensive vegetable growing, farming as a business and changing their negative about agriculture.
Planting of trees: Trees were planted on the boundaries of the school compound by the children under the greenbelt clubs. Each class especially from P3 to P6 were able to identify the children interested in becoming the green ambassadors.
Monitoring of activities: Intensive monitoring of the activities was done by the project team to ensure the intended objective is attained, timeliness of the project and value for money.
One of the newly constructed classroom block to promote quality education in communities
Achievements
Two new school blocks have been constructed each having 4 spacious classrooms, head teacher’s office and teachers’ boardroom. The classrooms are already in use thereby addressing the shortage of space and promoting safety of children
Each of the two targeted schools were provided with 80 classroom desks, 4 teachers’ classroom desks, 1 executive desk for the head teacher, 29 chairs, 1 safety drawer.
Kitchen gardens with an assortment of vegetables established in each of the school to enhance good nutrition and practical knowledge about good sustainable agricultural practices among the school children. Many children had their first taste of fresh carrots, beet root and others were seeing for the first time the gardens of spinach and sukuma week.
Constructed a 6 stance latrine at St. Kizito Walubira PS which has reduced the student to stance ratio. This latrine has been assigned to the girl child and teachers thereby lessening the absenteeism of girls at the school since the latrine has a washroom with lockable doors.
Increased enrolment of children at the beneficiary 2 schools due to a beautiful new building well equipped with furniture especially desks. This conducive learning environment led to the enrolment of 50 new students at St. Kizito Walubira and 35 new students at Kabimbiri RC.
Over 200 trees have been planted and more are to be planted by the children who are members of the school greenbelt clubs. The trees will serve several functions in the near future whereas the knowledge acquired by the practical children under their school greenbelt clubs shall enable them to be cadres promoting climate change awareness in their respective communities.
Improved hygiene in the two schools through access to safe water from the 4 water tanks provided by the project. The children are able to wash their hands regularly, clean their latrines and there is an observable improvement in personal hygiene and sanitation at the targeted schools.
Equipping schools with furniture
A suitable classroom environment for studying
Vulnerable children provided with scholastic materials
Tree planting to mitigate the effects of climate change
