New Facilities Open At Kitgum Teacher Training College
March 16, 2015On 11th March 2015, African Revival was delighted to attend the commissioning of the newly-built girls’ dormitory block and refurbished library at Kitgum Core Primary College – work we carried out in partnership with the Japanese Embassy of Uganda.
Established in 2002, Kitgum Core Primary Teaching College is a government-owned teacher training college with whom we have partnered to tackle issues surrounding girls’ lack of attendance and consequently their performance in school. In the Eastern Acholi region, girl child retention in schools is a severe problem. Recent studies have shown that retention of girls in schools is significantly improved when female teachers are in schools to offer both social and academic support to young girls; in most cases they inspire girls to remain in school. However, only 27% of primary school teachers are female.
Our initial aim at Kitgum was to increase the number of female students in teacher training by 30%, because prior to 2013 there were twice as many male students to female students. The College only had sufficient accommodation for up to 52 female students in a college of 400 students at the time. As such, female trainee teachers had to sleep in classrooms, the library and at times, the shower block.
In 2013, under the supervision of our fantastic engineer Vincent, African Revival began the construction of one girls’ dormitory block complete with beds, which accommodated up to 48 female students. Then in 2014, with financial support from the Japanese Embassy, we built another dormitory block to accommodate another 48 female students, three blocks of latrines and a secure fence around the dormitory area, whilst also assisting the College to refurbish the library. The number of workspaces available for students now has increased from 16 to 86, and the college is able to enrol 19 more girls every year. We believe that these facilities will contribute towards our goal of providing more qualified female teachers to teach in primary schools within the region, so that girls are less likely to drop out of school.
After a great deal of work, the blocks are now ready to be used by the new co-hort of trainee teachers. To mark this significant occasion, the commissioning ceremony was attended by His Excellency Junzo Fujito, the ambassador of Japan to Uganda. Upon his arrival, His Excellency was accompanied to the new facilities by district dignitaries, African Revival and College staff, where he ceremoniously cut the ribbons, and unveiled the plaques, signifying the official opening of the blocks.
As the flags of Uganda and Japan rippled in the warm breeze, the college’s choir sang the countries’ national anthems before kindly presenting the Ambassador with a gift as an expression of thanks for the completed facilities. During the proceedings, Okwi Simon Charles, the principal of Kitgum Core Primary College, thanked African Revival and the Japanese Embassy for our support, stating that “all of us know the cumulative effect of donations and support, no matter how small, transforms lives”.
Mr Okwi went on to praise the difference the new dormitory and library will make to the academic performance of the trainee teachers. In particular, Mr Owki is delighted that the new dormitory has enabled the college to enrol more female trainees, providing them with “safe, secure and comfortable facilities”.
AR’s representative for the day, our finance manager Nicola Jones, took to the floor to thank our partner, the Japanese Embassy, for their generous financial contribution which made this project possible. Nicola also voiced our joy that this project will facilitate trainee teachers’ studies for many generations to come, and bring many more women into the education sector. Several district dignitaries (including the Resident District Commissioner and the District Education Officer) also kindly echoed their pleasure and gratitude for the completed project, before handing over to His Excellency himself who expressed his hope that the facilities will benefit students for many years to come.
As the speeches (interspersed with traditional dancing) concluded, it was our great pleasure to see the keys to the new girls’ dormitory handed to the female trainee teachers, who will be immediately moving into the rooms. One trainee, Jane, said “we are so excited to move into the new dormitory- they are so nice! It will be so much more comfortable for us; we can rest properly which will improve our studies”. Another trainee, Kay, added “I think that having these new facilities will help us learn better, and enable us to be great teachers to a new generation”.
African Revival is thrilled to be able to offer budding teachers like Kay and Jane a good home during their training, and good library facilities to ensure that these young women – and their male counter-parts – become motivated and inspiring teachers to young children across northern Uganda.
