By KT Reporter
The Ministry of Education, through the Uganda Secondary Education Expansion Project (USEEP) is set to construct new secondary schools in the selected six districts in the Karamoja sub-region. The project targets constructing a new secondary school in each selected sub-county across the country.
This is aimed at enhancing access to lower secondary education by focusing on underserved populations in targeted areas. Underserved populations include communities hosting refugees, girls, and people in the targeted areas with limited access to public lower secondary schools.
For the Karamoja sub-region, the project covers the districts of Napak, Abim, Kotido, Amudat, Karenga, and Nakapiripirit, where each shall identify one sub-county for the school. Napak district has already selected Lokopo Sub County, and the works are expected soon for 3 billion shillings.
Alfred Kyaka, the assistant commissioner in charge of secondary education, said that the project shall provide a complete secondary school, deviating from the old norm of the seed schools. Kyaka said that the school shall have a package of eight classroom blocks, an ICT block, a library, a science lab, an admin block, and staff houses.
He said that they are also introducing the accelerated education program to cater to learners who might have dropped out of school from the secondary level; over-age learners can re-enter and, instead of spending four years in the ordinary level, they can take only two years.
Kyaka said that they have also launched an open campaign to create safe spaces for the learning environment and promote inclusive education at all levels. He said that the schools, right from primary to secondary, should be able to admit all learners, including those who are disabled.
The Education Ministry, through the Napak district local government, has embarked on community-led dialogues to raise awareness among local leaders, parents, learners, and key stakeholders about the importance of inclusive education and a safe learning environment.
Joyce Nakoya, the Napak District Education Officer, said that the sensitization among the community would help to mobilize more learners into schools and also to increase the enrolment for the secondary education cycle. Nakoya observed that many children in the district often drop out of school before finishing both the primary and secondary education cycles.
She said that they have four government secondary schools and one community school with a total population of about 1,500 students enrolled. Nakoya also noted that the government has a policy of one secondary school in each sub-county, and the Secondary Education Expansion Project has come in time to help in access to secondary education.
She noted that the school that will be constructed in Lokopo Sub-County will add to the number of existing secondary schools in the district and would cover the gaps in secondary education. Nakoya reiterated that they are now popularizing the Uganda Secondary Education Project to let the community embrace the project and own it.
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
