"Education is your life, Guard it well" Proverbs 4:13

Like in the UK, education is compulsory and free in Uganda up until Senior 4. Unlike the UK, pupils have to pass the year until they can move up, so for example we knew of a 12 year old girl who was in primary 3, our year 2. It is also difficult to make sure that the children do attend school, especially in rural areas. So many children leave school after completing primary school.

The local Primary School

Why?

Whilst the education itself is free, many of the schools are a long walk from their homes so if the parents can't afford for their children to board they have to walk it. Where we were staying in Kaara, the local secondary school was about 6-7 km away. That's a 12-14 km walk each day, on top of which you have a days learning and potentially chores to do when you finally make it home.

It's no real surprise to discover that children, especially girls, decide an education isn't worth it.

So, any other problems the children face?

There were probably three other factor a child had to face to in an attempt to get an education:

1) tiredness - before arriving at school, a child would be expected to collect water for the family. That could mean several  trips down the valley to the local protected (clean/safe water) or unprotected spring. Along with two of my team mates we attempted this trip down and between us carried back 40L of water in two jerry cans. It was very hard work and took us about an hour. We couldn't imagine then going to school. The children would also collect water again after school or do other chores around the house, like farming or collecting firewood.

2) the teachers - what! The teachers?! But yes, in Uganda the teachers strike, A LOT. According to Liz, the Ugandan woman we lived with, the teachers would often strike for a month at a time in attempts to get higher wages, leaving the children education-less. At the primary school we were closest too, the teachers often didn't come in on a Friday as they lived a long way from the school. Again leaving the children on the own.

3) parents - as many of the children's parents didn't receive an  education they therefore don't see the point in the children also going to school. How many times in your school career did the encouraging word of a parent, or their assistance with homework help you?

Whilst some parents do understand the importance of education and support their children. If you'd been in the shoes of these Ugandan children, tired from collecting water and facing a long walk to school would you have bothered? I'm not sure I would have if my parents didn't encourage or realise the importance of me gain an education.