Last Updated on: 5th June 2023, 03:50 pm
Adjumani, June 5, 2023: More than 2,000 refugees and members of the host community are set to benefit from free early childhood, primary and secondary education in Adjumani offered by a faith-based organization from South Korea.
Alliance in Mustard Seed (AIMS) is the faith-based organization that is currently operating in Adjumani. It has established a number of nursery and primary schools in some of the refugee settlements and now is opening a secondary school in Agojo refugee settlement.
Rev Joseph Shin Hyun Ka, the director of the organization said the community of Ciforo has already offered him land measuring 400 by 400 meters where he has already constructed classrooms, and offices, and put furniture inside.
“Our total budget to establish the secondary school is $500,000 (shs1.9billion) and so far, we have spent $250,000 (shs 925million) which we have injected to develop the infrastructure, and I want it ready by August 2023,” Hyun said.
He said he was motivated to establish the secondary school due to the vulnerability of the refugees and some members of the community and his focus will be on teaching Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills which will start next year, 2024.
“Since the government is promoting science and ICT skills, I think skill the refugees and host community with ICT skills will help them create their jobs,” the director added
Luke Drazelega, the LC3 chairperson of Ciforo sub-county said the community has welcomed the idea by offering the land without any cost, adding that the secondary school will benefit them and the refugees.
“Once this school is opened, it will supplement Adjumani Secondary School the only secondary school in the sub-county, it is very far for some of the vulnerable refugees and host communities who cannot afford to go to boarding school,” the LC3 said.
Margarete Foni is a refugee from Agojo Refugee settlement. She welcomes the idea, saying this will save them from paying high school fees yet they have little to eat since the food ratio has been stopped.
“Most of our children in the settlement who are supposed to go to secondary school have remained home due to lack of school fees, some of them have resorted to playing cards, chewing mairungi, and drinking alcohol,” Foni laments.
Akuku Philip Kayakya, the principal education officer of Adjumani district said an estimated 114,000 refugees (56%) in the district are school-age children who need education, adding that the refugees have put enormous pressure on the resources of the district particularly in education.
Akuku said in attempts to address the gaps, Adjumani district local government launched its three years education response plan for refugees and host communities on November 16, 2021.
The plan sets out realistic and implementable plans to ensure improved learning outcomes for an increasing number of refugees and host community children and adolescents in the district.
Akuku noted that the increase in the refugee population has continued to cripple education services since the enrollment in many refugee schools and host schools have gone high, revealing it has affected the pupil-teacher ratio, and the pupil-classroom ratio, among others.
The Gross Enrollment Rate (GER) among the refugee population stands at 29% for pre-primary, 67.2% for primary education and 6.6% for secondary education, according to data obtained from UNHCR, 2019.
The average pupil-classroom ratio for the 33 schools in Adjumani is 112:1 while the average pupil-teacher ratio is 66:1 but schools like St Luke primary Ayilo B schools and Ayilo C are 113:1, 112:1, and 111:1, respectively.