Strømme Foundation, with funding from Education Above All and AKO foundation has commissioned new facilities at Mijale Primary School in Yumbe to enhance academic standards and performance of learners.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the new facilities in Yumbe, Dinah Morgan Nambooze, Country Director of Strømme Foundation, emphasized the importance of education as a pathway out of poverty.
The new facilities include four new classrooms and 2 latrine blocks,one for girls and one for boys to facilitate better learning and teaching experiences for students.
She is optimistic that this kind of support extended to the education sector in west nile, will play a significant role in improving performance of learners.
Ms. Nambooze, further expressed gratitude to thier partners, Plan international and CEFORD, whom they work with efficiently.
Ms. Nambooze also appealed to the school management to consider paying attention to the boychild, mentor them, and encourage them to get involved in various activities at school.
She advised learners to take education seriously, and avoid distractions that would led them to poor performance.
The occasion was graced by the RDC Yumbe district, the LC5 chairman Yumbe district, the District Education Officer – Yumbe district, LC3 chairman of Kerwa sub-county and other local authorities.
Also in attendance were the partners CEFORD and plan international and the Mama & Baba clubs which mobilize out of school children to come back to schools using door to door, keeping sanitation at schools, follow up absentees children, among others.
The program manager at CEFORD,Mr. Mawa Alatawa urged fathers to always participate in their children’s education matters.
He Appealed the school management and parents to maintain the facility well but also most importantly, bring children to learn and participate in farming (coffee).
In his remarks delivered by Mr. Swaibu Candiga, district sports officer, Yumbe District Education Officer, Mr asked school administrators to have a mechanism in place that will protect the commissioned facilities.
He urged parents to ensure they keep the children in school so that they finish school.
The headteacher of Mijale Primary school Mr. Okunziga David on behalf of the staff express gratitude to Strømme Foundation, AKO foundation CEFORD and plan international for this initiative. Further more, he requested the District to provide additional teachers to Mijale Primary school.
Additionally, under the Rising project, Strømme Foundation, together with Education Above All, and local partners AKO Foundation, Rice West Nile, and CEFORD, has handed over Education materials to Aliba primary school in Obongi district.
During the handover ceremony, Ms Nambooze said, “as our vision to fight poverty is, we provide inclusive and quality Education because at Strømme Foundation, we believe that the first day out of poverty is the first stay in school.
Materials dobated includes; 1600 desks, over 7000 text books, chairs, tables, chalk and other Scholastic materials to improve learning and teaching environment.
Ms. Nambooze said that desks donated will improve desk to pupil ratio especially in Obongi district from 1:10 to 1:3.
Speaking at the same event, Hannington Komakech, the program advisor rising project said the similar support has been extended other schools in WestNile.
14 tables, 14 chairs and 374 desks have been distributed to model schools such as Adramare PS, Palorinya PS, Chinyi PS, Belameling PS, Itula PS and Aliba PS Obongi PS.
1652 textbooks have been distributed to other 28 schools ensure learners focus on the learning processes.
Mr. Komakech said that Strømme Foundation, thru the rising project, they give support to model schools but also partner schools. “We give alot of support to model schools where we give both software components of support like training of teachers, monitoring and hardware component like construction where we constructed 30 latrine stances in Obongi district to Morobi primary school,Dilokata Primary school primary school, Itula primary school,4 classrooms for Aliba primary school and Adramare primary school”.
Mr. Alu Birunga Edward, the chairperson head teacher association in the region said as headteachers are very grateful to Strømme Foundation because learners have been sitting on the floor but now they are going to be sitting on desks and he is hopeful that performance will improve more so with the text books that have been availed.
Vincent Opio, the program coordinator at Rice west Nile,one of the partners of Strømme Foundation says they are implementing projects in 11 districts in west Nile, and they have partnered with Strømme Foundation on this 4 year project since 2022 to give software component as Strømme gives the hardware component (construction) to make sure they reach out and enroll out of school children including refugee girls and boys in Uganda, he says Obongi has been struggling with the pupil – student ratio but now they are going to achieve the standard ratio, Also teachers will be comfortable since their chairs have also been provided.
The District Education Officer,DEO of Obongi district,Mr Patrick Angara – says, the level of education is lacking in Obongi district but as a benefiary district, he’s grateful to Stromme Foundation, Education Above All, AKO foundation, Rice West Nile and CEFORD for this initiative of supporting schools with learning and teaching materials.
He says the 1;4 student to text book ratio is the standard but here in Obongi its 1:5, and other areas 1:6
He Argued parents to go register the learners and also to provide students with needs for efficient learning for example scholastic materials, health, etc because for example in some areas out of 70 students, only 5 have mathematical sets.
The DEO adds that in Obongi they have 24 primary schools and 2 secondary schools, government aided, 21 community primary schools. He says they have been facing a problem of pupil- desk ratio in Obongi but now this is sorted after receiving this support. He adds that even the sitting posture of learners id going to improve, hence improving performance. He expresses gratitude to Strømme Foundation, AKO foundation, Education Above All, Rice west Nile and other partners.
Tabu job, the Deputy Chief Adminstrative Officer, Obongi district says he’s grateful For the level of transparency and honesty of Stromme Foundation team, who continue to fight poverty through Education but Urges parents to emulate Aliba P/S, so that they also support schools financially through PTA committees for more developments. Encouraged people always to be positive and avoid negative publicity especially of teachers “ Teachers, I urge you to neglect the negative publicity and continue to work”
HON.GEORGE OPOKA DIDI –, the Area Member of parliament– OBONGI DISTRICT, who is Also an OB of Aliba PS, says as members of parliament, they make and approve policies for example the NDP4 was approved recently in parliament where Education falls, he applauded Strømme Foundation and partners for the great work towards education, he reminded parents that education is key, but also added that There’s need to introduce Education Sector Financing, where funds will be collected to help in various activities. He implored parents not to leave any child out of school
“Parents and community at large, let’s Leave no child out of school, every child needs to be in school and invest in education for quality”.
Further more, he urged schools to embrace technology especially to teachers, “ we need a digital world, we need teachers who are digital” coz now they are teaching netizens and on this note, I am buying 10 computers to Aliba primary school “ He also encouraged people to always donate because Trump has stopped donations from out but said we can also do it.
The obongi Assistant RDC , Habiba Furaha Umuhoza Thanked Stromme Foundation and partners for the support. She added that teachers are very important to society and because of this, she promises to improve their conditions but encouraged them to always be strong and apologetic for smooth working relationships.
She asked parents to always play their role by sending their children to school, be responsible and to always have meetings to sort out the issues so that Obongi district is nolonger among the poorest performers. She suggested that patriotic classes begin in schools and with teachers, also to activate health clubs in schools to improve performance and avoid dormancy in learners.
She condemed Absenteeism of teachers and encouraged them to always show up coz they are paid fully.
Additionally, under their Rising project, Strømme Foundation, together with Education Above All, amd local partners AKO Foundation, Rice West Nile, and CEFORD, is providing crucial support to further strengthen educational opportunities in the region
During the handover ceremony at Aliba Primary school in Obongi district, Dinah said, “as our vision to fight poverty is, we provide inclusive and quality Education because at Strømme Foundation, we believe that the first day out of poverty is the first say in school and today we are here to provide over 1600 desks, over 7000 text books, chairs, tables, chalk and other Scholastic materials to improve learning and teaching environment and improve desk to pupil ratio especially in Obongi district from 1:10 to 1;3.” with support from the government of Uganda and the generous support of their donors Education Above All, AKO foundation plus local partners like Rice West Nile and CEFORD.
Dinah also urged school administrators to handle the materials well so that they can last long
At the same event, Hannington Komakech, the program advisor rising project, they are distributing 14 tables, 14 chairs and 374 desks to model schools i.e Adramare PS, Palorinya PS, Chinyi PS, Belameling PS, Itula PS and Aliba PS Obongi PS, then 1652 textbooks to 28 schools so that the learners focus on the learning processes. He says as Strømme Foundation, thru the rising project, they give support to model schools but also partner schools.
“We give alot of support to model schools where we give both software components of support like training of teachers, monitoring and hardware component like construction where we constructed 30 latrine stances in Obongi district to Morobi primary school,Dilokata Primary school primary school, Itula primary school,4 classrooms for Aliba primary school and Adramare primary school”
He adds that their focus is to make sure Out of school children, both refugees and Ugandans are back to school.
Mr. Alu Birunga Edward, the chairperson head teacher association said as headteachers, are very grateful to Strømme Foundation because learners have been sitting on the floor but now they are going to be sitting on desks, and he are hopeful that performance will improve more so with the text books that have been availed.
Vincent Opio, the program coordinator at Rice west Nile said, they are implementing projects in 11 districts in west Nile, and they have partnered with Strømme Foundation on this 4 year project since 2022 to give software component as Strømme gives the hardware component.
“Obongi has been struggling with the pupil – desk ratio but now they are going to achieve the standard ratio, Also teachers will be comfortable since their chairs have also been provided.” He said.
The District Education Officer, Obongi district,Mr Patrick Angara said that though the level of education is lacking in the district, as a benefiary district, he’s grateful to for the support that has been extended to schools.
He said the 1;4 student to text book ratio is the standard but in Obongi its 1:5, and other areas 1:6.
Obongi district has 24 primary schools and 2 secondary schools, 21 community primary schools.
Tabu Job, the Deputy Chief Adminstrative Officer, Obongi district expressed gratitude for the level of transparency and honesty of Stromme Foundation team, who continued to fight poverty through Education.
The obongi Assistant RDC, Habiba Furaha Umuhoza commended Stromme Foundation and partners for the support. She added that teachers are very important to society and she promised to improve their conditions.
She however encouraged them to always be strong and apologetic for smooth working relationships.
She asked parents to always play their role by sending their children to school. “Be responsible and to always have meetings to sort out the issues so that Obongi district is nolonger among the poorest performers,” she said.
She condemed Absenteeism of teachers and encouraged them to always show up.
