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About Uganda
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In 1991, Uganda introduced a new educational program for the country: Universal Primary Education (UPE). The UPE program eliminated tuition fees for students attending government-funded primary schools. Enrollment in primary schools increased by nearly 58% in the first years after its implementation. Surveys have also shown that UPE has decreased the dropout rate for boys, though not for girls.
Education
Although tuition fees have been eliminated, the financial burdens on families are still there. Students are frequently required to pay for their uniforms, books, and other academic resources. In many cases, they are not allowed to attend without these materials. Public primary schools are often underfunded and lack proper facilities, experienced full-time teachers, and the resources needed to educate their students.
Given these challenges, students often drop out of school to find work so they can help their families or earn money for their educational costs. Most students do not complete primary school, and only 16% of male students and 14% of female students go on to attend secondary school. Of these students, only 40% complete secondary school. While Uganda recently commenced Universal Secondary Education (USE), the funding has not reached many schools in Uganda, and the students are left to shoulder their own educational expenses.
Proudly known as “the Pearl of Africa,” Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa and home to approximately 30.9 million people. The country is known for its geographic beauty--from the peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains to the shores of Lake Victoria--and for its people, who are widely considered to be among the friendliest people of Africa.
Yet Uganda and its people have faced more than their fair share of problems. Grinding proverty has a steadfast hold on the country and civil war has gripped Northern Uganda for over twenty years. Meanwhile, Uganda’s youth struggle daily to obtain an education in schools that are often underfunded and overcrowded.
Children in Uganda are not required to attend school and many secondary students drop out or take frequent breaks from their education to earn money for their families or to pay their school fees. Because of these struggles, it is not uncommon to see an eighteen-year-old with several years left in secondary school. Grade levels are not determined by age.
The Mtaala Foundation provides support for secondary students by partnering with local communities to build quality schools and finding sponsors worldwide to fund the students’ educations.
Above: Without the funds to maintain them, schools often fall into a state of disrepair, such as the Ugandan school pictured here.
At left: The Mtaala foundation continues to make improvements at Awegys School in Kigo, Uganda.
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*Data from WHO, UNESCO, and CIA
© 2009 The Mtaala Foundation 230 Kings Highway East #136, Haddonfield, NJ 08033 USA P.O. Box 31434 Kampala, Uganda Site Map