Oyam adopts new learning tools in absence of radios, TVs

Mr David Adea, the Oyam District inspector of schools, hands over learning materials to pupils at Aber Sub-county headquarters last week. PHOTO/ TOBBIAS JOLLY OWINY

BY TOBBIAS JOLLY OWINY

S ince the closure of schools in March following the outbreak of coronavirus, several education stakeholders have adopted new learning mechanisms.

But unlike government’s approach where students are taught through radios or TVs, local leaders in Oketobilo Village in Akaka Parish, Aber Sub-county, Oyam District, have opted for a different model.

Ms Grace Acio, the area village vice chairperson, is tasked with mobilising pupils in the area to assemble at designated learning centres daily.

Pupils gather under trees and church buildings where trained instructors teach them different subjects and life skills.
“We did not see the lockdown coming. We resolved that the coronavirus outbreak will not stop our children from learning. That is how we started contemplating on how we would teach our children on our own,” Ms Acio says.

“We consulted at the parish level and asked teachers in our villages to organise classes where our children are taught,” she adds.

By the end of April, other parishes had adopted the approach, and 11 learning centres established.
In order to comply with the Ministry of Health guidelines, learners sit at least two metres apart during classes while all entry and access points to the learning centres are equipped with a handwashing kit comprising soap and water.
Mr Charles Okong, the chairperson of the Head Teachers Association in Aber, says the initiative was compelled by the absence of radios and television sets in their communities.

He says the initiative was rolled throughout the sub-county after World Vision Uganda, an NGO, supported them.

To ensure learning continuity, the capacities of 75 home-based community learning instructors have been built to reach children at household level in both Aber and neighbouring Kamdini Sub-county.

Mr Francis Odyang, the coordinating centre tutor for Aber and Kamdini, says they mobilise learners between three and seven households at a given time to avoid crowding.

The children are grouped into five according to their age and classes.
Mr Odyang says learners in P1 to P.3 classes are picked and taught on a particular day while the other classes are taught the next day.

“Children can learn from home and parents can support every child to receive great learning experiences. While there are some parents who have access to e-learning resources, the majority can’t access and others are struggling to participate because they have a learning disability,” he says.

A total of 24 learning centres have been established in Aber and Kamdini sub-counties. The initiative has been extended to cover Acaba and Minakulu sub-counties.

Despite reaching more than 12,000 children in the past five months, the model is faced with several challenges such as lack of classroom facilities.

“Many learners use tree shades which expose them to risks of bad weather thus disrupting the learning process,” Mr Charles Okong, the chairperson of the Head Teachers’ Association for Aber Sub-county, says.

Mr Thomas Oketayot, the World Vision area manager, says since April, they have supported the district education department with at least 31,000 books and other learning tools to implement the learning.

“We are going to ensure that we continue to build capacities of our stakeholders, school management committees and community members to build their resilience to ensure that learners continue to prosper during this lockdown,” Mr Oketayot adds.

However, the burden of school drop out in the district is still rampant.
“So many [learners] are now pregnant while there are also those young boys who are already in prison and others have fled while others have been forced to marry,” Mr David Adea, the district inspector of schools, says.

“Aber Primary School already has four pregnancies. Although we have averagely 109 government schools, 144 private schools, and 10 secondary schools, we may be having more than 100 pregnancies registered by our neighbours Apac District in lockdown,” he adds.

Mr Adea also says learners’ turn-up to collect the learning materials is low.
“Very few have so far come to pick the learning materials from the centres. Less than half of the study materials have been collected about a month after the materials were availed,” Mr Adea says.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation states that about nine out of 10 school-going children worldwide are out of school.

GOVERNMENT PLAN

In August, the Education ministry stated that it was contemplating a move to reopen schools once it is proposed Shs97 billion budget is approved by the government.

According to the ministry, Shs1.67b will be spent on reopening schools for only candidate classes whereas Shs96b will be spent on developing and distributing self-study materials for the non-candidate learners in primary and secondary schools who will be staying at home. The materials include radio and TV sets to all households with learners to facilitate the delivery of lessons.