Tutor Program
In 1997 Uganda introduced Universal Primary Education (UPE) which entitles up to 4 children per family to receive free education in government and government-aided schools. Enrollments have increased from 2.6 million children in 1997 to 7 million in 2003 (UNICEF report, 2003).
One result was that available facilities were stretched to the limit. The average number of students per school doubled. Although the number of teachers rose as well, it did not keep pace with the rapid increase in students. The reality of teachers trying to teach a class of over 100 students in very small classrooms, often with students sitting just on the floor, is all too common. In such conditions there is not time for asking questions by students.
The situation is especially difficult for girls who are missing school more often than boys. Girls also drop out of school at a much higher rate than boys. Although the gender gap between boys and girls is 1.1% at first grade, by seventh grade it reaches 15.7% (UN publications).
Why girls are still held back (based on UNICEF report 2003):
- Poverty, socio-economic factors and indirect costs of education. These include textbooks, uniforms, or losing the labour of the girl in the home. Approximately 30% of families are polygamous. And families prefer to pay for boy education because he will stay within the family, and a girl marries into another family.
- HIV/AIDS. In Uganda there are at least 1 million AIDS orphans under 15 years of age. If anybody from the family is sick, girls stay home to take care of relatives, small siblings, or need to start working to bring money home.
Early pregnancies. 35% of girls are either pregnant or have given birth by age 17. Such girls are not allowed to come back to school.- Safety and security issues play important role as well. Some girls have to walk to schools long distances, sexual harassment is not unusual. Moreover, corporal punishment is widely used.
Work. In Uganda, at least 1.5 million children work and do not get primary education. Most of these children are girls.
In April 2007, with the support from the Nando Peretti Foundation, we started remedial teaching in Kanyawara, Kigarama and Mituuli Primary schools, with 6 teachers in each school to help grades P5-P7. The main goal is to assist students with learning problems to pass exams and finish primary school and qualify for secondary education. See Memorandum of Understanding.