Does education still carry the same aura of significance as of old?


Mugisha Fred Sunday facilitating a Back to School/Stay in School Campaign Meeting with the community members of Ivukula, Namutumba District.

Ms. Solome Brenda Namulondo and I with the help of the staffs of St. Kalori Bugwe Primary School were able to mobilize over 120 parents to answer this old adage. It is worth noting that such a number is hard to come by in a season such as this when most people are harvesting and their priorities clear as crystal. It shows how much trust this community has placed in us in as far as the education of their children is concerned. This number almost doubled the previous meeting we had on 12th April, 2022 under the same umbrella of #backToSchoolStayInSchoolCampaign


Namutumba District, like many others in the Eastern Region is no angel when the subject under discussion pertains to high rate of school dropout. Several factors contribute to this, many that we know and many that we do not because every community is different and the context varies, always.

COVID 19 saw us to a decline in the enrolment of learners when schools were finally opened this year and we are still continuing to see more of the same under the prevailing community and national settings – a crude stage. This being a harvesting season, several learners are held back against their will to secure the agricultural produce – last term, fingers pointed to planting as being the season. A cyclic dilemma.

Coupled with the prevailing wind of famine in this region and the surge in prices of commodities, the already ‘poverty-stricken households of this community would rather their children remain home and do something that will help today, not tomorrow’ a parent mentioned. Such decisions are rational to the maker, but as the spectators, we are left with the question of, “What about tomorrow?”

What will happen to the futures of these children tomorrow? What will happen to the futures of these communities, the nation as a whole? A vicious cycle of generational poverty, you might say! There’s this adage that ‘education is the key’, is education still the key? We asked the parents of our learners this question in a subtler voice, if education still carries the same aura of significance it used to. The structure of this meeting was audience-centred. They talked and we listened. We only guided the discussion. The challenges leading to the high rate of drop out and low attendance and the way forward to addressing some of these challenges (community specific) from the lips of these parents and the local leaders amazes.

The ensued discussions prompted the parents to take an active role in the education of their children and be their neighbour’s keeper to ensure that all children of school going age are at school and stay in school. 

They affirmed by commitment by show of hands and a resolution. A resolution that saw the creation of a 7-tier committee. Each tier led by a local council leader or member of the local council committee to hold the parents accountable to their commitment of sending all the children to school and guarantee that they stay in school for continuity of learning.

So yes. As a community, education still carries that same aura of significance and pride – even more, with the climate change, globalisation and the ever-changing norms in the socio-economic and political way of life – the idea of an education that prepares the learners to a more sustainable future was widely received an appreciated by the parents. We are looking forward to more of these interactions that is gradually changing boundaries and mindsets towards education. Education is still the best investment with a lifetime of returns.



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