Launching the CSO Uganda @ 50 Golden Jubilee in Kasese District.

Hon. John Businge, Sec. Production LCV, Kasese

Kasese Municipality was decorated with the Civil Society colors of joy and jubilation as  school children, and Civil Society activists marched the streets to launch the CSO Uganda @ 50 Golden Jubilee celebrations with an Education Symposium that was attended by among other senior educationists in Kasese district. School children especially from Kasese primary school, Aisha  Moslem Preparatory were joined by the business community in Kasese, CSO and boda-boda chanting and jubilating. The band match guided by the traffic police was flagged off  at Virina Gardens Hotel in Kasese Municipality at which the school children were addressed by the Chief Guest, Hon. John Businge the Secretary Production who represented the District Chairperson Lt.Col. Mawa Dura Muhindo.  With all their voices high, the children sang the National Anthem, Kingdom Anthem and the School Anthem with a message of matching a long the path of Education. The Chief Guest picked his message to the children from their own school anthem and encouraged them to study and join the rest of the Ugandans when we celebrate the Centenary (Uganda @ 100years) if they a void HIV/AIDS, study hard and respect their parents.

Who was who @ the Symposium:

The Senior District Education Officer, Kasese, Mr. Constantine Baluku, made a 15 page presentation on the theme: PAST AND THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN KASESE DISTRICT. The paper detailed the history of education in Kasese, informal and formal education, school enrollment and teacher pupil ratio, class room construction and academic performance. Mr. Costa, reiterated the dwindling academic performance in primary schools    even when government was doing its best to support the education sector “ as a district, we have allocated Ugx 20bn in the 2012/2013 budget 50% of the total budget, come shine come rain , I will support UPE and USE” in his conclusion, Mr. Costa posed these questions to the house: How good is our schools?, do you like them? Where is the problem?, who is responsible for the poor performance? What type of Schools do we need?, which things can we do to improve the quality of our school and make then better and How well do you support your child/children?

The above questions prompted a heated debate that was moderated by one of the celebrated upcoming journalists in Kasese, Mr. Kahungu Misairi who ensured that the discussions do not point fingers but rather cause change and development in the education sector in Kasese district. Seventy participants from all corners of Kasese had come to grace the occasion with women, children with disabilities from Saad Memorial SS and Rukoki Model being the focus. One of the participants asked why some school in Kasese Municipality had 95% female teachers while schools in the mountains lacked female teachers to guide the female pupils. In response the Mr. Costa, said, that the HIV/AIDS policy states that couples should be placed near each other to avoid “ out side feeding” but that was challenged by the participants that the placement of teachers was marred with corruption and that senior civil servants working in the district determined where their spouses were placed.

Ms. Kulthum Moshi, DIS, Kasese, responding making a contribution at the education symposium

On their part the children who presented their skills to show that disability was not inability opened another chapter in the advocacy strategies of RWECO and other CSOs that were present. One Tadeo Masereka (S.1) from SAAD Memorial SS, read the some verses from the bible and recited a poem calling upon stakeholders to support them as they face many challenges. While the damp pupils from Rukoki Model presented a report in Sign language that was interpreted by Ms. Kaheeru Rosebella a special needs specialists teaching at Rukoki Model. Another pupil Andrew Bwambale (P.4), show cased his skills of tailoring though having physical disability with the arms. It was a good demonstration from the pupils and RWECO and the District leadership recommended training of teachers in special needs education as one of the activities the Education department should prioritize. The district Inspector Special Needs Ms. Kulthum Moshi, presented the challenges faced in the department as Braille reading machines that cost Ugx. 2,000,000/, Braille papers a set at Ugx. 5,000,000/ salary for the teacher at SAAD SS, and poverty of the parents.

The district information officer Mr. John Thawithe, expressed concern over the need to have the recommendations and the presentation of Mr. Costa bound and popularized after the house adopted the Education paper as a working document. The Chief guest was asked to lobby for space in council for the CSOs to present the paper for further internalization by the executive. The house also agreed to organise a panel discussion that will be live on radio and with high profile educationists invited and the district leadership.

That was the 3^rd of Oct, 2012 where RWECO and its members gave a plat form for the different stakeholders to share the education sector achievements and challenges and forge a way forward. The chairperson RWECO Rev. Isaiah Mucunguzi and the Vice chairperson Good Hope Foundation for Rural Development attended the function and pledged to support RWECO in the fundraising drive to raise the voices of the children living with disabilities. On their part, Kasese District Development Net Works (KADDE-NET) that mobilised for the event, pledged its continued support to CSO work in the district and to become one of the champions of promotion of good governance.

Jimmy B.O, Coordinator RWECO presenting the CSO report at the Symposium

RWECO Coordinator challenged the participants to provide for the children if they must have a better future and questioned the continued food insecurity despite Kasese district having one of the biggest irrigation schemes in East Africa. “ the people of Kasese are poor because we eat imported food from Kabarole, Bushenyi and DR Congo, Mr. Chairperson, all the income earned is spent on food outside the district, thus that explains why your voters can not afford to pay for their children in school. how many lorries  from Kilembe, Maliba, Karusandara come loaded with Matooke to our markets? We only see lorries from Tooro in Mawa market”

For God and My Country

Jimmy B.Odyek
Poverty and Policy Analyst