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• Maria Namirembe's blog
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In Uganda, many people are advancing because of education while others are being left behind because they are illiterate and have no access to education. Education is an important element in the wellbeing of all communities in Uganda and the rest of the world. In its technical sense, education is the process by which society transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills and values from one generation to another.

But with this, as some communities are developing in knowledge and skill, many are also worsening. Many regions have many children aged between eight and fifteen (8-15yrs) but with no education at all. This devastating situation is true in the northern part of Uganda, as well as some other regions.

I was interacting with some children in ABIM district in the northern part of Uganda on the 15th of 0ctober, to share some ideas about their lifestyles. It was interesting yet bad that we could not communicate to each other because they were using their local language and I was using English. As a result the mode of communication was sign language, which was also not easy for any of us.

None of these girls and boys could speak or understand English. The question here is what are the parents, government and educators doing? Though the government has introduced universal primary education (UPE) and universal secondary education (USE), many of the children have other factors hindering them from reaching this opportunity. Examples are the prolonged wars and insecurity in the north, the lack of infrastructure for academic purposes, lack of scholastic materials, cultural practices, lack of extension workers to carry on the sensitisation on education and so on.

Education enhances good communication, good interpersonal relationships, and prepares one for greener pastures through employment. Creative and technical skills are acquired. It’s so sad that these children have never seen a chalk or blackboard in their lives – and they had no idea of what the impact was on them, of what they had missed, because they were ignorant.
Therefore I call upon the parents to take their children to school and the government to put strict measures in place in the education sector. This will help parents and the children to realise the good in education.

What are you doing out there on this issue? This is a crucial issue to you and me; let’s fight to uplift the education sector even to the far rural communities.
More extension workers, should be pushed to rural areas to carry on sensitisation on education and this will help to increase school enrolment at the primary, secondary and university level, and will also improve development as a result.