Community as inspectors to demand quality

For ordinary folks, quality education is becoming more and more elusive, if they attend public school under free education programme, politicians have drummed hard in their ears what a privilege it is, those that detest the quality there have had to find private schooling.

But even those that have chosen private schools soon find that the proprietors are way too powerful to be pushed around presenting education as an opportunity and not a right, the result has been a general decline in quality, power Parents Teachers Associations (PTA’s) that often discuss only fees increament and not quality and better conditions. The price tag on any improvements making other discussions even the harder. 

But some communities in northern and western Uganda are reading through the long term corrosive effect of a bad education and absence of supervision and a strong voice to demand better—forming themselves into inspectors where government has not provided them—the scheme is beginning to pay off keeping school administrators on their toes.

As expected, the authorities are not happy with the initiative that has groups of 20 ordinary village men and women to form the supervisory committee but they are fighting for their space.

Inspired by the belief that they are doing the right thing, and armed with the strength of numbers, the Kabale and Gulu folks are prepared to ensure that teachers are in class and teaching. Head teachers are doing what they are supposed to do. And perhaps most importantly; pupils are in class and learning instead of loitering or helping with house chores during school hours.

Challenging start
“Before we came together to form the Village Budget Clubs (VBCs), there were really few children that were going to school. And the few that would make it would go hungry because their parents thought government was responsible for providing school meals,” said Mr. Narcis Kabahigire, the VBC Secretary in Kyabuhangwe, Kabale District.

“We had to engage the parents and made them understand that it is their obligation to provide school meals, and not government,” Kabahigire says. But there were other problems likes: teachers’ absenteeism and drunkenness, misuse of money meant for school structures, and parents’ refusal to send their children to school.

For example in a class of at least 500 pupils, only about 100 turn up, and half of the time teachers would not be around.

To put an end to that, the VBC members would do a spot check. And any teacher not found at school during working hours would be compelled to explain during a community interface meeting attended by community members and duty bearers most times chaired by the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).

And where the explanation is deemed weak, a penalty, including suspension would be recommended and followed up to ensure that it is enforced. “The beginning wasn’t easy as we had to fight for our right to demand better,” Ms Sarah Basiime, VBC Chairperson, Kashekye village, Kabale said in an interview.

Adding: “The good news is that as we speak now, the schools understand our intentions are meant to stir things up for the better. And now the teacher’s attitudes have changed and they are more receptive and welcoming to us than before.” 

Mr Santos Uhuru, the Koro LC III in Gulu district says, “Some officials think VBC members are always on their case.” Although Mr. Uhuru puts a case for the VBCs saying it opens the eyes of the local people—the peasants—he argues that the VBCs needs to be helped further develop their capacity to probe issues deeper.

Inspector of schools, Rukiga County, Kabale, Charles Karuna said the causes the BVC’s were working for were real like teacher absenteeism and lack of facilities and drunkenness and was appreciative to find a helping hand track down the errant government workers.

The community people are willing to do their part, including constructing a latrine for the schools as the districts come clean, under the radar of the VBCs. 

And with the service delivery tracking exercise, paying dividends, other rural villages want to adopt the model that has cured teacher absenteeism and brought the indisciplined local and district officials to order and importantly, it has empowered local communities to question negligence and misuse of public funds within their localities.

And now after engagement with the officials who were earlier untouchable, Kasigeganyeje Primary School in Kabale will now have houses constructed for its teachers.

By Ismail Ladu

Daily Monitor, Uganda