NCA, UPFC Partner to Fight School Dropouts in ‘Go Back To School’ Campaign

IGANGA, UGANDA: National Children Authority (NCA) together with Uganda Parliamentary Forum for Children (UPFC) are traversing different parts of the country spreading the gospel of ‘Go back to school’ to children in school going age.

The two parties are doing this through meeting various leaders in different settings who will deliver the message to people especially parents on grassroots by feeding them with information in various ways.

While traversing Busoga sub region and meeting some leaders in Bulamagi sub county at the sub county headquarters in Iganga district, the executive director of National Children Authority, Martin Kiiza Kasagala said they are working with UPFC in this campaign against school dropouts by spreading the message through meeting religious leaders, cultural leaders, parish chairpersons, councilors, security personnel, among others.
“We are working with the MPs under Uganda Parliamentary Forum for Children to sensitize leaders in the message of taking all children in school going age back to school. These leaders will as well take the message to parents in homes, villages, parishes and other levels,” Mr. Kiiza said.

Mr Kiiza said that Uganda signed an international law for children rights which gives children right to education citing that it’s a responsibility for parents to educate their children and a right for children to education.

“We know as NCA under ministry of gender, labour and social development that education is one of the parents’ responsibilities to a child and it’s a right for a child to acquire education according to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children and it’s also a right in article 34 of Uganda’s constitution which says that Children are entitled to be protected from social or economic exploitation and shall not be employed in or required to perform work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with their education or to be harmful to their health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.” Kiiza quoted.

He said that their investigation puts Busoga region with 45% school dropouts where he cited parents’ negligence of their responsibilities especially the men and Covid19 pandemic.

“Covid19 is also a challenge but still with Covid19, children must go to school. There is also need to retrain teachers on quality teaching standards,” he said before calling upon leaders to join hands and promote the initiative.

The chairperson of Uganda Parliamentary Forum for Children, who doubles as the woman member of parliament Namayingo district Hon Margret Makoha alias Namakangala said they are fighting for children’s rights by calling upon all parents to take children to school.

Makoha beseeched parents to allow girls who gave birth to go back to school instead of pushing them to marry.
“We came to tell parents that take children back to school and we want to urge parents to remain with young ones and allow their daughters get back to school,” she said.

Hon Makoha says that the constitution spells out rights and basic needs which should be met by their parents, further advising parents to involve children in skilling work, especially those who find difficulty in circular education.
“Life is very difficult when someone lacks any skill and therefore we call upon you to sensitize people on educating their children since it can make a better society out of quality children,” Hon Makoha said.

They were accompanied by other members of parliament who included the area MP Kigulu South constituency Hon Milton Muwuma, who is also the secretary-general of UPFC, and Hon woman MP Iganga district Kauma Sauda Alibaawo, who is a member of the Forum. They also tasked leaders to make a chain in spreading the message of taking children back to school.

However, all leaders pledged support to the initiative and pointed out some challenges leading to school dropouts and other issues affecting children’s education.
Mr. Kasadha Ramathan, the chairperson of Bulamagi parish says many children are being involved in child labour by sugarcane dealers citing that they are going to formulate bylaws against this practice.
“We are going to formulate bylaws as leaders to protect our children from being used in sugarcane plantations but emphasize them to study,” Kasadha said.

The chairperson Bwanalira parish, Naigaga Aisha said that the problem cited in families is poverty where parents are depending on their children for survival.
“The problem parents always talks about is poverty where parents expect survival from their children who goes for sugarcane cutting among other works. This causes parents to keep quiet instead of advising and taking their children back to school,” she said.

The Deputy Prime minister Kigulu chiefdom Mbago Paul Kayima urged parents to use government UPE and USE schools especially those who can’t afford expensive private school.

Meanwhile, the community development officer (CDO) Bulamagi sub county, Ms Naigaga Shakira says that parents have neglected their responsibilities.
“Parents should know that they are not helping children to acquire education but it’s their responsibility. Children also have the right to education,” Naigaga said.
She pledged to work with other leaders in sensitizing parents and called on parents to take their children back to school.