School Priorities - SNV

Community Participation
recommendations helped them clearly prioritise their goals for the coming school year.
Including children and parents in the school management process fostered a sense of
responsibility and ownership among them. It reinvigorated community-wide participation
in the education process because everyone’s ideas were valued and incorporated into school
development planning. The difference has been clear:
• More parents now provide scholastic materials and
midday snacks for their children; they also actively
attend meetings, including sessions where they
work together with teaching staff and children to
develop low-cost learning materials.
• SMCs and PTAs are working more closely with the
wider community to make school improvements
and initiate learning projects in the community.
• Joint meetings between the SMCs and PTAs are
taking place.
• Children have better attitudes and habits toward
hygiene. Schools have not only provided hand
washing facilities for the children, but have also
made safe water a priority, making the schools
more child friendly. SNV contributed by training
the teachers, pupils and community on good
WaSH practices, which, according to the DEO, has
led to higher attendance, retention and enrolment.
Educators should realise that pupils, parents and community
members have valuable ideas and seek their input.
When decision makers gather others’ views, they make
their jobs easier. It starts with progressive and supportive DEOs and subcounty education
secretaries who recognise the contributions of their communities and involve them in the
process. As this project showed, parents and pupils have an opinion about their schools, are
eager to talk about their own needs and priorities, and are willing and able to make their
schools better places.
For more information, contact
Mr. Charles Okol, District Education Officer, Kumi
Next step
Neighbouring schools expressed a strong desire to be included in the project and the initiative has
already been included in the district education sector plan. Transform Uganda will continue to work
with the DEO to replicate what is happening in the six pilot schools to all Kumi District schools, while
sharing the experiences with others at quarterly district education sector working group meetings.
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