School Priorities - SNV

Community Participation
Like many districts in Uganda, Kyenjojo has big problems. Universal Primary Education
(UPE) has brought millions of Ugandan children into its classrooms, but has also created
fresh challenges by putting considerable stress on human and physical resources. Ninety
three pupils sit together in an average classroom but only one in every eight has a desk;
the district does not have enough houses for teachers or clean latrines for students; and
teachers and headteachers alike are often absent, meaning children are lucky to learn
anything at all once they reach school.
SNV wanted to show communities that they have the potential to solve many of these
problems on their own. First, however, they had to get them involved at all—few parents
even attended general meetings. To do this, SNV facilitated multi-stakeholder platforms
(MSPs) with schools throughout Butiiti. MSPs are community dialogue meetings that
bring everyone with a stake in primary education together to identify and resolve education
problems. MSPs help people understand their respective roles and how they relate to each
other. On one side, schools are able to discuss their issues with district-level policymakers.
On the other, districts can easily disseminate information to schools and communities.
Year
Attendance at joint
PTA/SMC Meeting
Attendance at 1st
general meeting
Attendance at 2nd
general meeting
2008 15 47 76
2009 12 72 82
2010 26 97 124
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