Thursday, August 1, 2013

KABAROLE DISTRICT LEADERS VOW TO MONITOR UPE/PLE PERFORMANCE



“Plants are developed by cultivation and men by education” ( John Locke)
Participants at the RIDE AFRICA Press Conference at Jerusalum Guest House on 24th July, 2013

If you are a leader out there and you have not been monitoring the schools in your area of operation, it is absurd to blame the head teachers and teachers for poor performance in schools. Yeah I believe poor service delivery is as a result of leaders who have failed to their work. If you doubt my statement just imagine a parish that has one school having 4 villages and each village has 9 leaders at LC1 which makes a total of 36 individuals, LC2 has 9 leaders, the school has 11 members of the PTA and 12 members of the SMC  with the parish having two area counselors ( male and Female) thus  total of  70 individuals.   If every leader committed him or herself to visit the school at least once a term  because a term on average has 72 days without under estimating the work of the CSO including religious leaders, parish chief,  sub county authorities and the inspector of schools.  Am sure there would be no cases of abseentism of teachers, ghost teachers, and mismanagement of UPE grant, abseentism of pupils and misconduct of pupils which we are seeing today.  With this my simple reason is that every day a leader would be at school to supervise and the support the school authorities.
In a case study conducted by RIDE Africa on monitoring and supervision by leaders in 19 primary schools out of 34 primary schools in Burahya county where the RDC had visited only one school yet the Local Government Act 1998 and Education Act 2008 (section 71(b and D and section 5 (1,m and n) respectively mandates the RDC to monitor and supervise the schools. Out of 19 schools only one school was visited by the sub county chief ( Bukuku sub county chief you deserve a credit) yet sub county chiefs are the supervisors of the sub county and sign performance contracts head teachers and are the chief planners of the sub county. On a good not at least 12 schools out of 19 schools were visited by the chairperson LC3 by June 2013.  Was  there any justification for chairpersons  in 7 schools that were not visited as LC3 chairperson are majorly in power to monitor and supervise government programs per the local government act.

Important to note is our very own Members of Parliament  who also have a role to play in monitoring schools for improved PLE results as they are facilitated with mileage every month to consult and monitor government programs in their constituencies. In the case study, it was realized that the Kabarole district Woman MP  had visited 6 schools by June 2013 and Hon. Stephen Kagwera MP had visited 7 schools by June 2013. 

Schools Monitored by District leaders in Burahya County
 
In a press conference organized by  RIDE Africa a member of RWECO the leaders were argued to take their responsibilities of monitoring school programs serious as  it has a direct impact on performance. The leaders act as role models and inspire the pupils to aim higher as well as encourage teachers fulfilling their duties. This evidence at Harugongo primary school  which was visited by the MP Burashya four times  and scored 144 first grades in 2012 P.L.E results and Kazingo primary school that was visited once got 14 first grades out of 59 candidates  in 2012. A census by all members   present during the press brief confirmed that monitoring and support supervision has a direct link on other factors like provision lunch to pupils as well as effective service delivery. The DEO’s office and CCTs were upheld for the good work in supervising schools as all the schools sampled had been visited by the DEO, District Inspector of schools, County Inspector of schools and CCTs.

 Schools monitored by sub county leadership in Burahya County

RIDE Africa organized a press conference on Wednesday 24th July, 2013 at Jerusalum Guest House, Fort Portal Municipality that was attended by media house from the print and electronic media: print media- The New Vision, Monitor, Red pepper and Observor paper, Radio representative among others who include life FM, Guide FM, VOT FM, Better Fm and HITS FM. Other participants were: The Political Assistant to the MP Burahya County, Ditrict Inspector of schools, Town clerk, representatives of the Civil Society from RICNET, RWECO, KAANA Foundation and Mountains of the Moon University,  and Community monitors in Kabarole district. During the question session, the  leaders expressed concerns that it was  true monitoring and supervision of primary schools had not been given adequate attention due to limited facilitation e.g. chairperson LC IIIs get 290,000= monthly as facilitation despite their tight schedule while others did not know that is was their role to monitor and supervise schools, laxity while others said that sometimes they visit the schools and don’t sign in the visitors’ books especially when they delegate
 Let us take responsibility to monitor education because Education is a systematic process through which a child or an adult acquires knowledge, experience, skill and sound attitude. It makes an individual civilized, refined, cultured and educated. For a civilized and socialized society, education is the only means. Its goal is to make an individual perfect.  We need to give importance to education because it is a panacea for all evils and solves the various problems of life thus a developed nation. Together we can make a difference. 

Compiled by:

Ms. Sheila Kengingo & Ms. Erina Kahunde 

RWECO/RIDE AFRICA

9 comments:

  1. yes it true leaders should take responsibility and monitor education program. Negligence of duty is not what we voted for. A good leader should fulfill his duty.

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  2. Well, as noted by the RIDE AFRICA in table1, education is one of the critical social service sectors that leaders must supervise short of which, poor performance in academics and co-curricular is likely to become the out come. It defeats logic for the sub county chief to visit one school we need to establish the distance from the sub county and the school!!! Leaders its your role to give us accountability.

    Jimmy B.O

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  3. A Very nice article. we need to re-awake our leaders to their work because Education should be prioritized if we are to have a future generation that will not be victimized. Leads support the initiatives and other district should learn from this. The question is should we be reminded of our roles as leaders.

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  4. we as we advocate for the better performance of pupils in our region, we shall also look at the plight of teachers and the way they are treated by politicians. let us all believe that at one point in time we passed through the hands of the teachers who made us the way we are today. a teacher whose morale is lost can not give proper guidance to pupils who are hungry and therefore as stakeholders, we need to look at best possible solutions for both the teachers and pupils plight otherwise i see no better performance in the forthcoming PLE examination.

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  5. Upbringing children is not a sole persons`role but a societal responsibility, naturing children should be a concern of all community members and should not stop at providing basic needs.One step missed by many leaders is a component of spirituality,I therefore urge the masses to join hands in order to reconcile the children`s rights and mass/automatic promotion that has very much impacted on academic standards negatively

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  6. we and the advocacy for batter results in primary schools to improve English language for pupils.thank u.

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  7. We all realize that education is very crucial in the development of a nation. I encourage leaders to continue monitoring these schools amidst challenges expressed in the artcle. Lets keep the candle burning.

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  8. Its a good practice for local leaders as mandated by the local government Action 2010 and other laws of this country to monitor and supervise government programs. Its again quit amazing whereby same leaders up to now they don't know their role and responsibilities. Hope RIDE-Africa and RWECO will strengthen the capacity of local leaders to know what they supposed to do through training and workshops so that the community can gain from leaders and governments programs.

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  9. This is a serious problem everywhere. It should not only be the role of our leaders to monitor the schools but rather a combined effort by both the leaders and the parents.. the continual presence of these stake holders at schools not only motivates the teachers and the pupils but also emphasizes the teachers' expected output ( no. of grades scored at the end of the course)

    Bravo RWECO / RIDE AFRICA

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