HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DISTRICT STAKEHOLDERS MEETING IN
KYARUSOZI SUB COUNTY 12TH JUNE 2014
Introduction
The stakeholders meeting was organized by RIDE Africa
and it took place on 12th June 2014 at Kyarusozi hall in Kyarusozi
sub county Kyenjojo District. It was attended by the DEO Kyenjojo represented
by Area Inspector of schools Ms Kakyo Rose Mary, DCDO (represented), Probation
officer, Sub county chief- Mr. Businge Earnerst, Town Clerk, sub county CDOs, LC
III chairperson, Mayor, Councillors, head teachers, parents, human rights
ambassadors, CPFs, Monitors and opinion leaders from the 02 sub counties of
Kyarusozi and Kyarusozi Town Council, RWECO and RIDE Africa staff. In total the
meeting attracted about 130 participants.
The purpose of the meeting was to share the findings of
the monitoring visits by RIDE Africa staff and monitors conducted in schools in
Kyarusozi and Kyarusozi Town Council and the possible recommendations. It was
also meant to seek commitment from the stakeholders on how best to improve academic
performance of the pupils in the various primary schools in the two sub
counties. At the end of the training participants came up with resolution and
action points which the leaders pledged to follow up on with the support of the
monitors.
Opening remarks by Chair Person LC III Mr Businge
Earnest
He appreciated RIDE Africa for the good
work in the District and Kyarusozi Sub County in particular in supporting the
education sector. He said that children are crucial for the development of any
area thus they need to be educated if they are to transform into better and
responsible citizens of Uganda. If children are not educated and protected,
families and communities perish. He posed a question to stakeholders present in
the meeting that have we done the needful to the children? He hinted on SMCs,
PTAs, parents and local leaders’ role in educating children. He further hinted
defilement and early marriages being on the increase in Kyenjojo District and
gave an example of Kyarusozi secondary school where there was a lot of school
drop outs due to pregnancy where girls between the age of 11-13 years conceive.
Remarks
by the Mayor Kyarusozi Town Council
Welcome remarks by ED RIDE Africa.
The ED Mr Rukidi Sam welcomed all members
to the meeting and highlighted the work of RIDE Africa in the Region which included;
Human rights advocacy, democracy and good governance, HIV/AIDS care and
support, Gender and Development, Research and Documentation as well as ICT. He
re-echoed the need to fight defilement which was rampant in the District and
Country at large. He informed participants that in 2012 RIDE Africa held a
dialogue meeting in Kasunga and it was discovered that bad governance in
schools was a major determinant of poor performance in schools.
He emphasised that defilement was one
reason why RIDE Africa intervened in Kyarusozi Sub County since it abuses the
rights of the girl child and undermines her dignity. He said that parents were
partially responsible for early marriages; they connive with the defilers and
hide necessary information about the defiled girls from the police and they
extract money from the defilers. He further said that parents and guardians had
failed to provide food to pupils at school a factor leading to poor learning
especially in the afternoons and consequently leading to poor academic
performance of pupils. He called upon parents to protect their children against
all forms of abuse, emphasised parents to park lunch for their children at
school and instil discipline to the pupils. The sub county leadership was
advised to lobby NGOs and government to support civic education initiatives to
fight defilement, early pregnancy and marriages.
Presentation
by RIDE Africa
COMMITMENTS
AND RESOLUTIONS BY PARTICIPANTS IN KYARUSOZI SUBOUNTY AT KYARUSOZI SOCIAL Hall
12th June 2014
Preamble
We the participants in the Kyarusozi
Education conference held in Kyarusozi sub county, Kyenjojo District at
Kyarusozi Parish hall on 12th
June 2014 confirm and by consensus agree that the facts and information
presented during the conference reflect the children rights and Education needs
of Kyarusozi sub county and Kyarusozi
town council,
Aware of the need to improve quality of
education and children rights which are directly related and influence each
another, appreciating the need to act to improve the quality of education,
recognizing the potential and endowments that exist and can facilitate change,
here by commit ourselves and resolve that;
1.
Children
Rights and improving the quality of education become a priority for everyone
and all development partners in Kyarusozi Sub County.
2.
The
sub county leadership and the head teachers prioritize creating awareness on
parents’ role and responsibility in the education of their children.
3.
All
stakeholders combine effort to curb down absenteeism and school drop out by
pupils.
4.
A
bi-law is necessary that will help enforce observation of the right to
education.
5.
The people of Kyarusozi sub county not to
allow children to work in their plantations during school days.
6.
Conduct
community meetings in villages, schools and churches to sensitize parents and
other stakeholders on the importance of education.
7.
The
sub county leadership to develop a road map that will clearly show the targets,
milestones and actions for better quality education.
8.
All
leaders work together to ensure that Children rights are promoted and
protected, as well as monitor income
generating projects in schools.
9.
The
office of the DEO, sub county chairperson and Mayor assume the responsibility
to monitor and follow-up on all the commitments made in this conference.
10.
All
elected leaders take the political responsibility for the quality of better
service delivery
