School curriculum, pupils feeding & working conditions contributing to poor performance in schools

Poor performance in schools especially government aided schools have been blamed mostly on inadequate supervision in schools but should be looked at beyond supervision. Despite teachers and supervisors playing their roles, the school curriculum, feeding of pupils while at school and even home, poor remuneration of teachers & poor working conditions are all factors which should be keenly looked at if we are to improve performance in education as a sector. These were words from Hashim Nsangiva the head teacher Green circle school when he was hosted on 25^th January, 2017 alongside Jane Kwebiha the headmistress Kahunga Bunyonyi Primary school and Amos Kahuma the headteacher Kitumba primary school.

The headteachers were hosted live on ToroDev supported weekly program ‘Manya Omwebembezi wawe’ that is aired live every Wednesday 8:00pm-10:00pm on KRC Fm to discuss the topic; What are the existing Education policies in Uganda & what are the challenges?

Mr. Kansengerwa Kaahwa Abooki the moderator of 'Manya Omwebembezi Waawe' progogram on KRC Fm

‘’ As school heads we try our best to enroll pupils and do supervisory role to improve academics but with many schools operating in difficult conditions, cannot afford scholastic materials, poor infrastructure, failure of parents to do their roles/responsibilities, etc , the system has been weakened hence questioning the state of service delivery in the education sector something that cannot be handled by an individual but combined efforts from all actors in education if we are to realize positive change’’, said Amos Kahuma the head teacher Kitumba primary School.

‘’For schools to perform well parents, teachers, pupils/students, infrastructure, positive attitude attitude towards education need to be checked if we are to improve the education system in Uganda. Parents who have tried to support their children have helped to improve on academic performance in the country, if we appropriately use the resources available to play our roles as teachers we can still bring positive change in education sector something that will automatically bring academic progress in the region’’, said Jane Kwebiha Head mistress Kahungabunyonyi  primary school.

We have tried to come up with record performance trucker to enable us follow our students when they live primary to secondary in order to know their progress. Parents, SMCs, school heads should play their roles of monitoring & supervising teachers and also parents need to have positive attitude towards education by sending their children to school, providing school requirements, providing them with lunch regularly while at school, etc in order to realize quality education that will make them responsible citizens in future, said Hashim Nsangiva the headteacher Green Circle primary school.

During the two ours live discussion about 35 listeners participated through call-ins and sms plat forms; ‘’Our children walk long distances to go to schools yet the government policy says there will be a secondary school in every sub county. Many sub counties do not have these schools and to me performance is affected’’, said Jane Mbabazi a caller from Kyenjojo district, ‘’poor infrastructure combined with inadequate classrooms where you find 9 pupils on one desk yet the policy says 3 per desk is also affecting performance because of that congestion and teachers are not motivated’’, said Safali James a caller from Busoro in Kabarole district, ‘’I want to know if the fees charged is schools especially UPE level is uniform to all schools in the country and also suggest that co-curricular activities be made compulsory in primary schools to help children remain fresh in academic work’’, said Patrick Mwesigwa a caller from Bugaki in Kyenjojo.

 We take this opportunity to thank SIDA, NED, SPIDER, ICT4DEM, CIPESA & all our partners for financial and technical support.