Amudat district children lose out completely on learning since lockdown

Amudat, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  About 7,000 students in secondary level of education in Amudat district, in Karamoja sub region are missing out education completely, owing to lack of access to Radio and Television or newspapers in the area.

Amudat does not have any radio station at all, while the nearest, Heritage FM based in Nakapiripirit is not received in the area. The only radio station listened to in Amudat is Kenya’s Kalya which is based in Kapenguria. Kalya broadcasts in Kiswahili and Pokot languages without any education program, according to residents.

This has left 7, 076 students in non-candidate classes resort to cattle keeping and petty businesses since the lock-down was announced.

Much as the government rolled out media assisted teaching on radio and Tv,\ plus newspaper pullouts, for the students of Amudat it’s a total shutdown as these mass media platforms are virtually absent. Whereas their counterparts in other parts of the country take lessons on radio or television, for students in Amudat it’s an impossibility altogether.

Much as government is planning to procure radio sets for distribution to aid learning among students, it remains a nightmare for students in Amudat due to absence of a local radio station.

A senior 3 student, Celestine Chebet, told our journalist that she has opted for self-teaching while others have forgotten their books to engage in domestic chores. She is asking government to open a local radio station in the area to facilitate learning.

Another student Lawrence Lolem says studying without guidance of a teacher is boring because there is no one to guide the students.

“Sometimes I read alone but the challenge is there is no one to give guidance or examples. I just force myself to read but often I forget because it’s not easy to revise on your own,” said Lolem who spoke in Kiswahili.

Chebet said she is always busy helping her parents in their shop.

According to the Amudat District Education Officer, Benton Luke Logiel, all learners at secondary level are struggling to learn on their own because there is no way for them to follow Televised lessons or those on radio.

Meanwhile parents have expressed worry that their children could lose everything they learnt as long as longs as schools remain closed. Grace Lomen the mother of Chebet said she is very worried for her daughter staying home without studies.

“We don’t have radio nor tv. I am very worried for my daughter staying home all this time without going to school. Let government open schools fully so that our children return to school. Some of them have especially girls dropped out during lock-down. If the churches are operating, let schools too reopen, while observing the SOPs,” said Lomen.

However, for pupils in primary schools, supportive partners have set up an arrangement facilitating learning of an estimated 8, 885 pupils at primary level across the district,  said the DEO, Logiel.

He said ZOA in partnership with VSO are facilitating about 100 teachers to teach pupils from P1 to P6 at designated centres.

According to UBOS projection for 2020,  Amudat district has a school going age population of about 34, 100,  of whom only 8, 885 are in school. 

********

URN