Scholarship Programm Expanded

Scholar Liberty Lindrio in the field

Sunday 4th September 2022

Scholarship Program Expanded to 38 Scholarship Holders in just 8 Years

In 2014 four young women and one young man were the pioneers to receive scholarships from UgandaKids to continue their education. Eight years later, there are 38 “former students” who receive this support.
Therefore: 5 + 8 = 38!
Wrong math’s aside, the scholarship program is a success story that UgandaKids will continue to write. This special incentive is initially given up to intermediate educational qualification.

It takes four years to complete secondary school in Uganda, the so-called O-Level (Ordinary Level). Some leave school with this qualification and start vocational training. Others continue with graduate school to finish with A-Levels (Advanced Level) after additional two years in secondary school. The exams at the end can be compared to our Abitur and are really tough.
There are currently 32 “former students” at three different secondary schools in the district who receive this financial support. Many more have been able to continue their education through other external support systems.
These four mentioned pioneer ladies have all graduated from high school and are now on university courses to become administrators and secondary school teachers. Two pupils have decided to study agriculture in different fields of study. One young man studies information technology. Two have gone to become nurses and nanny after completing their O-levels.

The vast majority of those receiving funding are young women. So far there have only been eight men in the scholarship program. It seems that the girls are more goal-oriented, even already at elementary school level. In addition, boys with very good primary school qualifications are more likely to receive support from outside more easily.

In 2011 the first pupils left UgandaKids many of whom are already working in various professions. We are keeping in touch with many of them. When the opportunity arises, they often come to visit their old school. They talk to their followers about their own success stories and never miss the opportunity to bring some small gifts with them.

First Third of the School Year Has Finished

Tuesday, 3rd May 2022

First Third of the School Year Has Finished

On 10th of January regular classes started again in Adjumani and the first term is already over. The government has now concluded that all schools can return to their regular teaching plans that have been practiced for years. The plan to carry out a special test in May has been cancelled after all. Everyone agrees with these decisions, and everyone is happy to be continue as usual.

Fortunately, there were no corona cases in the first third of the school year, neither among the students nor among the staff.

Everyday life is back and we are all more than happy about this!

Everyday life is great!

They are Back!

Even after a two-year break, the day begins with the usual morning assembly

Monday, 10th January 2022

They Are Back!

As of today, all schools in Uganda have resumed operations. Almost half of the Ugandan population goes to school, so the challenges are enormous. The closure lasted almost two years, making it one of the longest in the world. UgandaKids has been preparing for the opening for a long time. Not only the procedures prescribed by the government had to be implemented. Mask on, keep your distance, disinfect hands applies to all schools. Likewise, the use of rapid tests was banned. These are not available in sufficient quantities and therefore many families cannot afford them.

To ensure that the children are not prevented from attending school, their use was immediately prohibited.

There is now a four-week test phase for all the students. Everyone is starting in the grade they were in when teaching stopped in March 2020. After that the children will be newly assessed. This procedure has been agreed with the parents’ representatives and appears necessary because the children didn’t have the same opportunities to learn. Their way of being able to learn and repeat their studies varied greatly during the lockdown period.

Hilda and the teachers are currently particularly challenged. But everyone is happy that it has finally starting again.

Online Lessons For Scholarship Holders

Scholarship holder Jackline Mazira (18 years old) is online at Biyaya Secondary School

Sunday, 21st November 2021

Online Lessons For Scholarship Holders

Online lessons in Uganda? Is it possible?

Well, a lot of UgandaKids scholarship holders are attending secondary schools who have wanted to try for a week. Therefore, Hilda has bought some smartphones and also took care of the corresponding data packages. Since schools all over the country are planning online lessons, functional smartphones were already available for 300,000 schillings (around € 75).

Another problem is network coverage and quality in northern Uganda. At the moment, many students from different educational establishments are gathering at locations with good network coverage. The teachers are only teaching online.

UgandaKids has so far purchased twelve of these devices, which are available to the pupils and are used by several youths at the same time.

Yesterday the Ugandan President announced on television that primary schools would reopen in January. According to him, 21 million Ugandans over the age of 18 will be vaccinated by the end of the year.

At UgandaKids, all employees have been fully vaccinated for weeks. The younger children have not spent a day at school since March 2020. We are ready!

 

Dispite The Pandemic – Excellent Results

Candidates 2020

Saturday, 17th July 2021

Dispite The Pandemic – Excellent Results

Last year’s final exams should have been written at the beginning of November in 2020. But from March last year all schools in Uganda were closed. It was not until October 2020 that the senior class was able to return to face-to-face teaching with interruptions. The postponed exams were then rescheduled for April.

It seemed impossible to maintain the high level under the given circumstances and to repeat the very good results of the previous classes. A large part of the material had to be learned and repeated in distance learning. Not with laptops like we do or in expensive private schools in the capital Kampala. For months it was only possible to work with photocopies, which were then corrected and returned by the teachers.

And they did it again after all: best school of the North again! 27 first grades and 15 second grades, an average of 1.35! What an achievement – hats off and respect!