Main Barriers to Education
- Poverty
- Conflict
- Rural areas
- Gender: Early Marriage
- Violence in and around schools
- Gender
Uganda gained independence from Britain on October 9th 1962. The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures. These differences contributed to difficulties in the establishment of a working political community after independence.
Uganda has made significant development progress over the last two decades. The percentage of population living in poverty declined to 24.5% in 2009/10. Hence, Uganda surpassed the 2015 Millennium Development Goal of halving the 56% poverty rate recorded in 1992/93, even though per capita GDP growth averaged only around four percent over the past two decades due to rapid population growth. Since FY2009/10, a combination of exogenous shocks and domestic factors reduced economic activity down to below historical levels. Subdued export performance, high inflation and subsequent tightening of monetary policy to restore macroeconomic stability, reduced GDP growth to 3.4% in FY 2011/12.
Uganda remains one of the poorest countries in the world with a per capita income of US$506. It continues to face numerous development challenges. Although abundant in natural resources, Uganda is a “low income country,” with a Human Development Index (HDI) ranking in 2012 of 161 out of 187 countries. Although Uganda is set to meet the first MDG to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, a vast majority of its non-poor population is classified as vulnerable. Progress is uneven, with inequality increasing and distinct regional geographical patterns of unequal access to basic social services and outcomes in health and education.
Uganda is also host to a sizable refugee population from neighboring countries including Sudan, South Sudan, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Burundi, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.
source: Worldbank
Projects
Access to Quality Education in Rural Uganda
Recent UIS estimates show that there are more than 400,000 out of school children in Uganda. In partnership with EAC, Building Tomorrow is implementing the Access to Quality Education in Rural Uganda project to address the issue of Uganda’s out of school children by providing access to primary education for 50,980 out of school children, through school construction and teacher training and support in hard to reach areas.
Addressing Barriers to Enrolment and Retention in Karamoja (ABER-K)
Over the course of a three-year period, EAC and World Vision’s Addressing Barriers to Enrolment and Retention in Karamoja (ABER-K) project aims to reach 40,000 OOSC in Karamoja’s Abim, Kotido and Kaabong districts.Educate A Child Partnership
Educate A Child (EAC) has partnered with UNHCR to bring quality primary education to refugee children in 12 priority countries.
Enabling, Encouraging & Excelling
As the global refugee protection agency, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is responsible for ensuring that refugee children have access to quality education in their countries of asylum. There are over 2.7 million refugee children out of school in 12 targeted project countries.Equity and Quality in Education
In partnership with EAC, the Equity and Quality in Education project (EQE) is implemented by Plan International and their partner, the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Sports. The project aims to help 60,000 of Uganda’s out of school children (OOSC) enroll and stay in quality education programmes.
Partners
Bharti Foundation
The Bharti Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises was established in 2000 with a vision to help underprivileged children and young people in India realize their potential. Currently, more than 42,000 students are enrolled across 254 Satya Bharti Schools in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
Building Tomorrow
EAC has partnered with Building Tomorrow in Uganda to enrol and retain 50,980 out of school children from rural areas in quality primary education programs.
Korea International Cooperation Agency (co-Financing Partner)
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) was established as a government-funded agency dedicated to providing grant-aid programmes on the part of the Korean Government in 1991.
Plan International
Plan International has been working in sub-Saharan Africa since the 1970s, helping poor children to realise their right to health, education, food security and protection. EAC has partnered with Plan to ensure that hundreds of thousands of primary-school age children access quality education in Ghana and Uganda. Furthermore, EAC and Plan have collaborated to expand access to Speed Schools in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Through separate initiatives, EAC and Plan aim to reach 331,000 out of school children (OOSC) in Ghana, Uganda, and Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
UNHCR
EAC partnership with UNHCR will ensure quality education for over 448,000 refugee children. UNHCR and EAC’s shared commitment to children in the most extreme circumstances help to ensure that all children in crisis situations have the opportunity to gain from the benefits of basic education.
