ToroDev held Capacity Building Training of SMCs & PTA Members in Ntoroko district on 26th/May 2017

The one day capacity building training of school management committees (SMC’s) & parents teachers association PTA’s took place on 26^th May 2017 in two zones one at Kamuhigi Primary School where 11 schools were zoned and 62 participants out of 64 attended and the other zone was at Nyakasenyi Primary school where 9 schools were zoned, 51 participants attended out of 54 expected. The total number of participants were 112 SMCs from 20 government aided schools in Ntoroko district.

The key objectives of the training were mainly to impart knowledge and skills to members of School Management Committee members (SMC) and Parents Teachers Association members (PTA) to fully understand their roles and responsibilities, also to impart them with   basic skills in using ICT to improve the education sector, planning, budgeting, lobbying, advocacy, monitoring, supervision and to help them become collaborative, support systems for improving learning amongst students.

The capacity building training was facilitated by Ntoroko district education officer (DEO) Rev Kibonwa David, together with Bwambale Paul the area inspector of schools in Ntoroko district and other two officials from the Ntoroko district education department.

“The world has come out from analog to digital and a lot of things are these days done using ICT especially phones and Fm radios, I argue you participants to get mobilized and start reporting issues to the education officials using your phones like calingl, whatapp and those on facebook you can share information with us to update us on what is happening in your respective schools” Said Rev Kibonwa David, the DEO Ntoroko District.

 

Rev. Kibonwa David DEO Ntoroko district during the training in Ntoroko district

 “ DEO added ICT can also help in monitoring and reporting poor service delivery issues and improved service delivery issues, for example if you worked as  a team to lobby and advocate let’s say for furniture or a facility from an NGO, duty bearers, or well wishers and at the end of the day positive results are yielded, it would be better if you share that impact story on radio talkshows to encourage others to do the same, we want to see improved services in each and every school, use all means to see a change is happening.

“In the near future  three- four months after this training  we want to see  capable members of SMCs in UPE actively participating in planning at sub county, district and school level,  participating in sub county and district  budgeting  meetings and conferences  and seriously using ICTs especially phones, and social media platforms to report service delivery issues identified in their schools”. Said Bwambale Paul the area inspector of schools in Ntoroko district.

 

Participants listening to a presentation

Paul added Am sure now everyone is aware of the roles & responsibilities you are meant to play as SMC and PTA because of the knowledge we have given you today we expect to see a change in schools that were not providing lunch to pupils, we want to see members planning together with parents to see kids pack food, we want to hear that meetings are held regularly to address challenges affecting  schools, we want to hear you speak on radios and in physical meetings lobbying and advocating for improved services in your schools.

Members made action plans to follow effective June 2017, some of the plans  included discussions on lunch provision in schools, parents  working hand in hand to make sure children have something to eat during lunch time, to sensitize parents to bring back children to school especially those that had dropout, holding regular PTA and SMC meetings to plan for the schools, attending radio programs to lobby and advocate for schools, use Phones to report and improve communication among others.

We thank our partners SIDA, NED, SPIDER, ICT4DEM, CIPESA, Ntoroko district Education department & all other development partners for the financial and technical support to extend services to our people.