With the armed-violence
reduction struggle in Karamoja now a success story, time is ripe for government and partners to
look at other significant development undertakings that will drive the region extra
miles and ensure sustainability of the military achievement.
One such actions is
strengthening education in the region. A
week ago the Resident District Commissioner for Amudat while
commenting on the late reopening of schools in the district, observed rightly
that “the insecurity of arms in Karamoja is now-no more, but education
insecurity remains a challenge to be equally fought”.
Indeed, although
schools officially reopened about four weeks ago, most children in a number of primary
schools across Karamoja have not yet reported. The big blame has always been directed to
teachers who have equally fitted into the late reporting culture. Teachers also
continue grumbling about inadequate shelter, high cost of living, peanut pay
and the harsh environment of the North-Eastern part of the Country.
However, even in some well-established
primary schools like; Morulem boys’ Lomukura, Komukuny boys’ and Kasimeri in;
Abim, Kotido, Kaabong and Moroto districts respectively, pupils’ registration for this term still stand below average -
almost a month down the road.
According to education
experts in the region, late reporting in Karamoja schools partly contributes to
the region’s annual poor performance in PLE. Other key factors are associated
with the feeding and financial challenges that Karimojong children actually hassle
with amidst their learning expedition.
It is important to note
that as a result of disarmament and the resulting reduction in raids by
Karimojong men, there has been a shift in responsibility in homes. Instead of men taking the breadwinning role
(which used to be accomplished through raids), the button has been passed to
the young ones especially girl children.
As a result, instead of
going to school, most children prefer rotating within towns to look for
‘exploitative’ assignments in exchange for food remnants to feed their parents
and little siblings back home. This task is largely executed by young girls. Meanwhile,
the boys who are ‘culturally’ allowed to go to school, equally find it hard to
fix such school demands as; uniforms, books, pens ...coupled with hunger –since
they (children) also command feeding deeds in homes. Therefore, children keep postponing reporting
to school on daily basis, a thing that adversely affects their performance.
The use of children for
livelihoods in Karamoja has become such a disease; even babies of two years are
now placed in streets with open-begging hands. In Kampala, not all Karimojong children
seen begging in streets are actually lost ones, they are simply engaged by
unscrupulous adults –even their own parents!
These challenges can be
fixed. Strengthening the school feeding programme in Karamoja is still
indispensable. World Food Program has done this for decades now; however, the
UN body now appears to be scaling off. Last year for instance, children in
boarding schools in Karamoja survived mainly on porridge served once a day due
to insufficient food supplies.
A special format of UPE
that provides scholastic materials to Karimojong children is necessary. Government
could also encourage NGOs to respond more to the education gaps in Karamoja. Currently,
attention of most organisations in the region is still on peace governance
issues, which is a no big problem for now.
Therefore, development
partners could switch and fill the much wider gaps in the sectors of Child rights
governance and sustainable livelihoods development for Karamoja. Supporting
more Karimojong children in school will reduce redundancy and poverty which are
the main stimulus of insecurity in the region.
Apart from blogging, Mr.
Owiny is also Programme Coordinator, ANPPCAN Uganda Chapter, a Child Rights NGO.
