By Jurugo Emmanuel Ogasto
A South Sudanese refugee is among many other fellows in Uganda who are left without or little hope to return back to class after finishing their ordinary level of education in Uganda with the help of non-governmental organizations supporting refugees’ children.
With limited help offered, Kevin Mindraa, a resident of Nyumanzi refugee settlement camp in Adjumani district of Uganda’s West Nile region now says she couldn’t further her education after completing Ordinary level or senior four because of financial challenges amid spike in tuition.
Kevin completed her ‘O’ Level certificate from Pagirinya senior secondary school in 2022. And as she yearns to get back to class, she is appealing to NGOS and stakeholders to support them unlock their academic potential up to colleges and higher institutions of learning.
She revealed that Windle Trust, a national non-Governmental Organization operating in Adjumani district was the one sponsoring her studies in O’level but the privilege was short-lived as the NGO sadly told her they can’t pay her tuition beyond O-Level.
“I was getting support especially school fees from Windle Trust, from senior two up to senior four but they were bold to me that they were going to stop sponsoring me after finishing O-level,” she said.
Kevin stated that her plan was to join A’Level this year, 2023 but finds it difficult because of the economic crisis in Uganda especially in refugee camp.
“Here in Uganda if you only stop in senior four, it is useless, at least if you reach up to senior six, you can get job with NGOs,” she added.
The O-Level leaver is appealing to NGOs and stakeholders to render opportunities to further her studies.
Dipio Santa, a retired primary teacher believes that other factors contributing towards the rise of school dropouts in Uganda include, parents not adequately providing school dues and scholastic materials to their children, inadequate follow-up on children’s school life and academic performance, and religions and families that advocate for early marriages making the girls to leave school at an early age.
“Honestly, I am a parent and some of us do not care about their children’s needs in schools,” she said.
Dipio noted that some stakeholders also perceived lack of suitable role models to motivate children to stay in school as some parents and community members boasted about being financially well off without being educated and to make matters worse, peers that dropped out of school and were working gave an impression of a better life.
More than 17 girls have not reported back to school in 2023 because of financial difficulties in Nyumanzi refugee settlement, a settlement based in Adjumani district in West Nile Uganda.