NEW FICH INITIATIVE AIMS TO ENHANCE EDUCATION FOR 24,000 CHILDREN IN NORTHERN UGANDA

Participant in a group Photo after the launch of Equal Foundations, Empowered Futures project. All Photos by Ambrose Okai.
 
By Ambrose Okai
 
Oyam
 
The Foundation for Inclusive Community Help (FICH) has launched "Equal Foundations, Empowered Futures" project which is aimed at enhancing foundational literacy and numeracy skills for 24,000 primary school children in Northern Uganda.

This initiative will focus on pupils in Primary three to five across the districts of Oyam, Kole, Alebtong, and Arua.

The project will partner with 32 public primary schools to equip teachers with modern teaching practices and emphasize play-based learning.

Emmy Zoomlamai Okello, Executive Director of FICH, while launching the new project recently at Rainbow Hotel in Oyam District said the project aims to influence government policies and the broader education sector.

‘’The Primary objectives include increasing literacy and numeracy competencies, improving teaching practices, boosting parental involvement, and conducting evidence-based advocacy with a focus on gender sensitivity,’’ Okello said.

Emmy Zoomlamai Okello, the Executive Director FICH
Speaking at the launch of their new project recently
at Rainbow Hotel in Oyam District.

Beatrice Hellen Auma, the Oyam district Secretary for Education expressed gratitude to FICH for their contributions in education and health and pledged that as a district they will provide political and technical support to ensure the program's success.

Auma calls for everyone to support the program's implementation in their respective communities to address challenges of low turnout of children in schools that hinders performance.

Joel Osedra, the Deputy Chief administrative officer of Oyam District equally appealed to different stakeholders to come on board and address disparity in student attendance between urban and rural areas.

‘’While urban schools in places like Lira City, Gulu, Kampala, and Arua see nearly 100% attendance but rural schools struggle with attendance rates as low as 65-80%., ‘’ Osedra revealed.
 
Janeth Achol, Senior Inspector Of Schools For Oyam District said Despite parents willingly paying for private education, government schools struggle with attendance, with some schools reporting significantly low turnout especially government schools in rural areas as compared to private schools in urban centers.

She emphasizes that there is a need for all stakeholders-teachers, parents, and learners to join hands together and work toward improving educational outcomes in rural areas.
 
Janeth Achol, Senior Inspector of Schools Oyam District addressing Head teachers at the launch.

However, Patrick Ocen the Assistant Resident District Commissioner of Oyam district questioned why private schools continue to perform better than government aided schools despite all the support being rendered in such schools.

According to Ocen, when such a signal is sent that out of 159 pupils who scored first grades only 38 were from government aided schools, it gives a big embarrassment to leaders of Oyam district.

‘’What could now be the problem? Are we able to identify these problems so that we are able to work upon them, ‘’ Ocen asked.
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Recently, the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) for 2024 result showed 159 candidates in Oyam district in First Grade, 1,861 pupils in Division 2, 1,645 pupils in Division 3, 804 pupils in Division 4, and 1,126 pupils in Division U. Meanwhile, 75 pupils were in Division X out of the 5,670 candidates who registered.