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David Epidu |
David Epidu is ACE's representative in Uganda. He works part-time for the charity and sends the trustees a monthly report. We do not normally publish his reports but we thought that you would like to read his report for April 2008, which is fairly typical. It illustrates the care with which ACE spends your money and the thoroughness with which all expenditure is programmed. It also demonstrates how much more work there is to do. The report covers the eight schools which ACE supports in the Kisoro region. St. Joseph school at Muwangi is not included. |
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REPORT FOR KISORO SCHOOLS FOR APRIL 1. KABAMI P.S. - 20th April 2008. I went to this school on Sunday, 20-04-2008, with Eden and Paul the contractor. As we reached the school, the inspector of schools, Mr. William, also joined us as I had told him that I would go to that school. 1. Teachers The head told me that he had enough teachers in his school, so school is not badly off, it has enough teachers. 2. Accommodation This is the biggest problem he is facing. He says most of the teachers come from very far and now given the bad season of rain some teachers don't attend classes due to much rain as they come from far, so they fail to turn up for their lessons some days. But as we were discussing about accommodation we came with a suggestion that, since the contractor was about to start work at that school, we could take an advantage so that he repairs some of the old classrooms and those could accommodate some of the teachers since the school will have more classes, and this idea was supported by all of us, including Mr. William and the head. 3. Latrines The head told me that they had latrines which are almost getting full and the school requires a new one. He also told me that the school did not have any latrine for teachers, so there was need for some stances of latrines for the teachers and pupils. 2. NYRUSUNZU P.S. - 21st April 2008. 1. Teachers The head at Nyarusunzu was satisfied that he had enough teachers and was happy with his school being one of those getting support from ACE charity. 2. Latrines This is a common problem which has affected all the schools. This is one of the serious problems to be addressed. 3. Classrooms This is one of the schools which benefited from ACE and got a three-classroom block recently, but still lucks classrooms. 4. Accommodation Nyarusunzu primary school is one of the schools which is very far from town and needs attention on teachers' accommodation. At the moment they even use one of the new classrooms for teachers to sleep in. The head is not sitting down - he has continued ferrying building materials like stones and sand waiting for another chance of any construction again. 3. BUKAZI P.S. - 21st April 2008. 1. Teachers The head of the school told me that they had been given enough teachers. They were happy with ACE for giving pressure to the education department, because they have no problems with teachers. The only problem is that the teachers lack accommodation, so cannot teach regularly as they come from very far. Also given that the season is of the rain. So they asked for help - if the charity could help to finish the building between the classroom and the office this would help them for the moment. 2. More Accommodation The school management committee also asked the Charity to help them add more teachers' accommodation on the existing one as they had promised them. This will reduce the problems of accomodation. 3. Desks There is still need for desks in the three new classrooms which where completed by ACE - most of them need more desks. 4. Classroom There is one of the classrooms which has a bad floor and needs to be repaired; it is not good as it is very dusty and not good for the young pupils. 5. Latrines The school has no latrines as the head told me that it may work for this year only and the school may be closed next year due to latrines. 4. MUKIBUGU P.S. - 21st April 2008. 1. Teachers I found Mr. Ezra who is the new acting head of the school as Augustine is on his sick leave. He was very happy and a very active teacher. He told me that his school was very fine with teachers - he had 12 teachers in number and this was enough for his school. 2. Tank This is the biggest problem the school is facing now as the water tank is in a sorry state and it needs immediate attention. 3. Girls' Room The head asked me to request the ACE to help the school and build a girls' private room, so that girls can be using it for their common problems, other than using latrines and yet these are being used together with the young ones who have not yet reached that stage of getting monthly periods. They also asked for the first aid box for their school pupils. 4. Windows The head also complained that, the newly completed two-classroom block had lost most of its window handles, so I told him that they should always try to maintain what ACE has put in place. I told them to caution pupils not to play with handles of the new classrooms. I promised him that I would send the contractor to check on them. The school also has windows which need shutters - this is a two-classroom block. 5. GITENDERI P.S. - 21st April 2008. 1. Teachers Gitenderi primary school has got enough teachers, and they are very fine. 2. Classrooms
3. Accommodation The head told me that their problem now is that, since they have got enough teachers, there is no place to accommodate the teachers. 4. Classrooms
5. Windows They still have the problem of some classrooms which don't have windows and now since it is time for rain pupils are suffering with the cold. They say that you had promised to work on those windows the last time you came to Uganda, so they asked me to remind you of the same, and they will be happy if the ACE works on them. This is a two-classroom block with 14 windows which need to be closed. 6. RUKONGI P.S. - 21st April 2008. 1. Teachers The school has 11 teachers instead of 13 teachers. This means that there are still two teachers missing, and this is one of the three schools which didn't get teachers, but the DEO'S office promised to send the teachers at the beginning of next term. This school received one male and one female teacher this term. 2. Glass The glass which was broken at the time we visited the school was replaced by the contractor (Paul) and now the classrooms are all fine. 3. Latrines The school has a big problem with latrines. Some need to be repaired and it also needs more as the number of pupils is very high for the latrines. 7. RUREMBWE P.S. - 22nd April 2008. 1. Teachers The school has 13 teachers out of 14, so this is the second school which didn't get one teacher; it is one of the schools the DEO promised to give teachers at the beginning of next term. 2. Latrines The head teacher told me that his school is lacking enough latrines and asked if it was possible the charity could give the school at least one latrine of five stances. He also asked for latrines for the nursery school which has about 100 pupils. 3. Girls' Private Room
4. Classrooms P1A and P1B classrooms have very bad floors which need to be repaired. They are so dusty for the young pupils. I remember I gave you some of the quotations for this some time last year, but I lost my copies during the repair of my Laptop computer. The head thanked the ACE for putting much effort into his school and asked for more help for his school. 8. NYAKABAYA P.S. - 22nd April 2008. 1. Teachers This school has got 7 teachers including the head, but they need one more teacher to make a total of 8 teachers. This is the third school the DEO'S office promised to give one teacher at the beginning of next term. 2. Classrooms Madam Donata (the head) requested the ACE as a charity to provide her school at least with a two-classroom block such that she can have P7 at her school. She also complained that some of her classrooms don't have vents and during holidays, she closes the doors, but people still go and climb through the vents and damage whatever is inside and could also steal her stationary. 3. Desks The head told me that she has got enough pupils' desks, but her problem is teachers' desks, chairs and her office furniture. 4. Handicrafts
5. Latrines
NOTE All schools which where allocated desks at the time Angela came to Uganda have received their respective number of desks. All head teachers thanked all those who contributed. They also thanked Angela and Victor for visiting them and they thanked all those who work with ACE for their support. Report was compiled by Epidu David for ACE. MY COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS Urgent things to consider if there is some money 1. Complete the two rooms at Bukazi for teachers' accommodation. 2. Repair the water tank at Mukibugu. 3. Latrines are a very big and common problem in all schools. 4. Help complete the girls' private room at Rurembwe. 5. Repair latrines at Nyakabaya. 6. Repair classrooms at Kabami for teachers' accommodation. 7. Rukongi is badly off - needs latrines. Eden's Work Eden Quayle has done a lot of work at the schools and he deserves credit for his work.
Education Department The Education Department is happy with ACE and asked the charity always not to think that, they are not ready to work with it, but we need to follow the right way of doing things and we will work together. They have promised to give the entire ACE schools teachers by the beginning of next term. They are also willing to work hand in hand with David to fulfill what the charity wants. They also have elected inspector William as the ACE desk officer to work on ACE issues. Registration of Charity I think the charity needs to be registered in Uganda, but I don't think it is very urgent at the moment. I will go to Kampala and see if there is any cheaper way of doing it and I will keep you informed. My trip to Kisoro I enjoyed my trip and was very happy for successfully going round all the schools in the shortest time possible, although I had malaria and typhoid, but now am fine. Thank all those who work hard to make ACE what it is. GOD BLESSES YOU ALL. Thank you, EPIDU DAVID For ACE. |
