Dear Richard i am touched by all your points. I just left Mvara S.S before joining Makerere in 2009 We used to buy our own cells for practicals and call Trs. Wayman and Apangu where necessary; organize Domitory debates and Discussions; Internal and External Seminars; Interschool holiday discussions at Ediofe Boys school. However i had this observation too; 1. We no longer read/study to practice but to pass exams as a result we have no where to go/work/practice/show/develop skills even when one has completed s.4-6-Campus? Students who are at home after s.4, 6, University no longer speak English and behave the way those days. 2. Most of us these days stil believe we study for some one, so we are not committed too fight for our future forgeting that the beauty of the generation behind us depends on us. 3. We still believe that we are cursed to perform like the western and central students instead we spent time blaming parents, teachers, our libraries, cooks and always looking for point for strike. If i can ask how did many stars from westnile achieve those grades. 4. Parents believe that UPE and USE, District Quarter system has completely relieved them of any think concerning their Children's education but stil blame other stakeholders for the Chldren's failure something completely opposite to what an Indian friend (Mr. Visit Varma)shared with me. At Joadah Consult we believe in seeing people/students developing their skills or careers; as a result yearly we recieve A'level leavers coming for training mostly in Engineering softwares during their vacation and ended up doing wonders even befor they join Campus. Thanks to those Parents for their mindset.
Generally speaking i see there is alot to do as far as change of attitude among students, parents is concerned bcz without it what we shall provide won't yield much. I have being trying to reach many students when ever i am in any part of westnile to let them appreciate the facts of education life and i am happy many in Nebbi, Pakwach, Arua, Yumbe, Okollo, Maracha, Moyo, Koboko have called me back for appreciation and 70% are steadily working and earning. Lastly i suggest exposure or mentoring to students/parents if possible and teachers at any appropriate time should be of consideration to let some of them know what we are talking about. i wil keep giving advice where i get an opportunity. I have said all these particularly as an observation among us of late 80's and early 90's to date. Sorry for keeping you on my lengthy notes! Thanks Gatre Patrick Engineering Surveyor Continuous Professional Development Manager Joadah Consult ltd www.joadahconsult.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Mob 1: +256(0)784188814 Mob 2: +250(0)727057787 Office: +256(0)414320632 *Skype: patrick.gatre 1* *Twitter: [email protected]* On Sat, Mar 9, 2013 at 2:33 AM, Okuti Richard <[email protected]> wrote: > Very insightful indeed,**** > > ** ** > > I usually do not engage in very intellectual debate for fear of being > exposed by those who have learned so much through the classroom. Fr. Ezama > and many of my senior friends from Ombaci always quote me as one of those > Njuka’s whose father sent to “College” to be able to study in a good school. > **** > > ** ** > > Anyway back to the discussion, what I believe has gone wrong is that many > urban or so called have become good at coaching students to pass whereas > the actual learning of subjects for the real appreciation of their nature > and application has greatly deteriorated in the entire nation! For me I > learned two key issues during my stay at Ombaci that one we heard to learn > these subjects so that we can apply our knowledge and improve life (not > just pass examinations) and two that we can learn to coexist in a world > where there are so many different, animals, plants, nature, cultures, > believes and traditions – more like the sciences of life and the arts of it. > **** > > ** ** > > We should look at ways to promote conducive learning environments, > increase interest in subjects of study and encourage the teachers to > innovate in their ways of delivering the subjects a solution to this > problem should be collective and all engaging, for me I would suggest the > following solutions.**** > > ** ** > > **1. **Academic competitions between schools of West Nile and rewards > given to best students, let’s say best 3 boys and best three girls, their > teachers too have to be recognized.**** > > **2. **Increased interschool clubs such as math club, economics club, > debates, drama, sports etc**** > > **3. **Strengthening of PTA’s **** > > **4. **Beautification of schools and recognition of most well-kept > schools **** > > **5. **Take our own children to those schools …**** > > ** ** > > Many other ways at least these are within the scope of WNF however other > bigger issues like curriculum & mode of delivery of teaching may need more > CDC, Ministry of Education and other stakeholders – this requires lots of > lobbying but surely WNF can start …**** > > ** ** > > Richard**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] *On > Behalf Of *Ezama Ruffino > *Sent:* Wednesday, March 06, 2013 7:07 AM > > *To:* A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile > *Subject:* Re: [WestNileNet] DR Epiphany Picho Report**** > > ** ** > > *My dear West Nile Net members** > > In this debate on poor performance in education in West Nile sub region I > had chosen the listening mode. This is because I totally failed in making a > contribution towards this problem. A member yesterday then provoked me to > say something. > > History***** > > * > In 2009 the same topic attracted a lot of debate. For the new members look > at the attachment [poor performance]. Seeing the passion with which many > members discussed this topic we ended up having an Education Taskforce of > which I was asked to be the chair. Members included:* > > * > Retired ambassador Harold Acemah > Mr. Mike Anewa [DFCU Bank Manager-Arua] > Sr. Grace Aciro [Headmistress Ediofe Girls SS] > Mr. Izio Tata [Headmaster Mvara SS] > Mr. Augustine Juruga [former HM Ombaci College] > Ms. Lucy Lekuru [former deputy HM Ediofe Girls SS] > Ms. Selina Abi [District Councilor-Arua] > Fr Philip Zema [Deputy Chair BOG-Ombaci College] > Fr Alfred Asiku Tulu [then Chaplain St Charles Lwanga College-Koboko] > Mr. Osborn Vuni [former District Councilor & a rep of Muslim community] > Msgr Dr. Primo Asega [former Rector Pokea Seminary > Fr George Ezatirale [former DEO Moyo District] > Dr. epiphany picho odubuker [former Principal Lodonga Core PTC, now > University Secretary-Muni Univ] > And all regular contributors on the net (such as Vasco Oguzua, John > Jackson Avudria, Charles male, dr Maureen ayikoru, Robert Ejiku, Willy > Ngaka, Patrick Okuni, Gilbert Adibo, Caleb Alaka etc) who shared a lot with > us. > > This group (apart from those online) voluntarily transported themselves to > the meeting twice every week. We did several brainstormings. We came up > with a research proposal for a survey under the topic: * > > *THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOLS (PUPILS/STUDENTS) AT UNEB IN > WESTNILE REGION AND THE FACTORS AFFECTING THEM: A HISTORICAL SURVEY FROM > 1978 – 2008* > > * > Our survey would have enabled discovered the factors that made students > from west Nile lead in the whole country (cf radio boys) and come to > identify why we now perform poorly on a national scale. In the 1980s west > nilers working in Kampala used to send their children to schools in west > Nile, now people in Arua prefer schools "down country". > Yumbe district (under the leadership of Mark Tivu) was the only local > government that put aside money for a research into this issue. Dr Picho, > with a team of other tutors at Lodonga Core PTC, undertook the research in > two months and half. Our team attended their dissemination session which > drew representatives from all sectors of their society.* > > *Arua District thought the preparation of the Education Ordinance would > have solved this problem of poor performance. > > Our dream/expectation > This common concern made us to think that if we succeeded in this this > research we would have formed a group to do other researches in health, > development etc sectors for the good of west Nile. For everybody (both > within Uganda and abroad) was finally looking in the same direction. > Kings would bear with me that this is the period many west nilers came on > board. > > Our failures > A) This group was not officially and legally registered. It started from > the web and had no legal papers. This concern was addressed in a meeting in > which Mr. Alaka was minute secretary. The Foundation got registered a year > or so later. > B) There was need of opening a bank account to solicit money to carry out > this survey. No bank would accept us open an account since we didn't have > legal papers. My foster father Mr. Joseph Etima approached SNV and they > were able to open but not put the money in a private/personal account. > C) We did not and still do not have a secretariat or a coordinating body. > D) When I left the country in sept 2009 many attempts which took me > personally to the office of the President of WNF yielded no fruits since he > could not meet me due to his heavy court schedules. Amb. Acemah also tried > and did not meet him. > > Recommendations so as not to repeat the 2009 failure > > 1) entrust this task to a coordinating body > 2) ask each local government of the various districts to set aside money > for this exercise > 3) results of these researches be shared in a conference organized by west > Nile Foundation > 4) let the foundation choose practical and doable things or steps in > finding solutions. > > Let’s talk the talk and walk the walk proudly for the good of west Nile. > Its my joy to see this task succeeds! > God bless you all > > Fr Ruffino Ezama* > > _______________________________________________ > WestNileNet mailing list > [email protected] > http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet > > WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ > > The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including > attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. > _______________________________________________ > >
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