January 10th was a big day in Uganda. The government allowed schools to reopen fully, after the longest continuous period of Covid closure in the world. Investments in school infrastructure funded by Uganda Humanist School Trust during the pandemic are finally able to be used.
There was jubilation in the remote mountain village near the Congo border, when Katumba Parents Humanist Primary School re-opened in brand new buildings. 190 eager children enrolled on the first day and the school hopes for over 300 by the end of the month. A new purpose-built school is a major cause for celebration in this community where life is hard. Local dignitaries and radio journalists attended the opening and reports of the event were broadcast both on local vernacular radio (Development FM) and the main government English-language channel (Uganda Broadcasting Corporation).
First day in class for children at Katumba Parents Humanist Primary School
Kanungu, another hill village near the Congo border which suffered the world’s largest mass killing by a religious cult in the year 2000, also opened a new school. Kanungu Humanist Primary School had an abortive opening in 2021, but this was curtailed by the Covid pandemic. On Monday the school opened afresh with 90 eager children arriving on day 1, 135 by day 4 and new children are pouring in every day as word spreads about the quality of the school buildings, the attractiveness of the site and the high standards of welfare and educational resources. Later in the month, Peter Kisirinya, Chair of the Uganda Humanist Schools Association, will speak during a formal opening ceremony, which a crew from BBC World Service TV will be filming for a programme in the Africa Eye series on the growth of Humanism in Uganda.
Joyous children on their first day at the new Kanungu Humanist Primary School
Two former religious schools bought with funds raised by UHST have reopened as Humanist schools. A former Muslim school reopened as Mustard Seed Humanist Primary School in Busota, with an initial intake of 40 on day 1. They have indications that the number of children may be up to 300 by the end of the month. The evangelical Christian school in the village of Kateera, after a major physical transformation, has reopened as Isaac Newton Humanist Primary School with an initial enrolment of 200, which is growing by the day.
Already 400 students at Isaac Newton Humanist High School have returned to school. At Mustard Seed Humanist Secondary only 140 re-enrolled in week 1, though a further 200-300 have indicated that they intend to return as soon as they have funds to do so. Both schools had 600 students before the pandemic hit.
First day of kindergarten at the Isaac Newton Humanist Primary School
The situation in Uganda over the past two years has been tough and parents and children are anxious to get back to school. However, the lockdown has left scars
Household savings have been depleted so finding money for school fees, school stationery, calculators and other essentials such a footwear and clothing is delaying the return to school.
Many children, especially the many orphans, have been traumatised by being used for forced labour in their villages, and by physical and sexual abuse.
The Uganda government is sending teams around Uganda to sensitise teachers to the need to look out for signs of trauma and to strategies for helping the many children affected. The Humanist schools are doing their best to help by making the schools safe and happy places for the children when they return. Unlike many other schools in Uganda, Isaac Newton High School and the other Humanist schools have made it clear that they will welcome back to school girls who have suffered sexual abuse and become pregnant.
The scale of the problem of getting children back to school is enormous. UHST is working with the schools to find the most effective ways, within the bounds of the resources we have available, to help families meet some of these costs. We are trying to muster meaningful sized pots of money that can be used as hardship funds. The task can seem almost overwhelming as practically all children come from families suffering financial stress.
UHST and the schools are hugely grateful to our supporters for their help in getting the Humanist Schools through the trials of the last two years. I am sure we all wish the schools well in their desire to open minds and empower future generations of young people to create better lives for themselves and the communities from which they come.
Joy as schools reopen
Posted: January 15, 2022 by Steve Hurd
January 10th was a big day in Uganda. The government allowed schools to reopen fully, after the longest continuous period of Covid closure in the world. Investments in school infrastructure funded by Uganda Humanist School Trust during the pandemic are finally able to be used.
There was jubilation in the remote mountain village near the Congo border, when Katumba Parents Humanist Primary School re-opened in brand new buildings. 190 eager children enrolled on the first day and the school hopes for over 300 by the end of the month. A new purpose-built school is a major cause for celebration in this community where life is hard. Local dignitaries and radio journalists attended the opening and reports of the event were broadcast both on local vernacular radio (Development FM) and the main government English-language channel (Uganda Broadcasting Corporation).
Kanungu, another hill village near the Congo border which suffered the world’s largest mass killing by a religious cult in the year 2000, also opened a new school. Kanungu Humanist Primary School had an abortive opening in 2021, but this was curtailed by the Covid pandemic. On Monday the school opened afresh with 90 eager children arriving on day 1, 135 by day 4 and new children are pouring in every day as word spreads about the quality of the school buildings, the attractiveness of the site and the high standards of welfare and educational resources. Later in the month, Peter Kisirinya, Chair of the Uganda Humanist Schools Association, will speak during a formal opening ceremony, which a crew from BBC World Service TV will be filming for a programme in the Africa Eye series on the growth of Humanism in Uganda.
Two former religious schools bought with funds raised by UHST have reopened as Humanist schools. A former Muslim school reopened as Mustard Seed Humanist Primary School in Busota, with an initial intake of 40 on day 1. They have indications that the number of children may be up to 300 by the end of the month. The evangelical Christian school in the village of Kateera, after a major physical transformation, has reopened as Isaac Newton Humanist Primary School with an initial enrolment of 200, which is growing by the day.
Already 400 students at Isaac Newton Humanist High School have returned to school. At Mustard Seed Humanist Secondary only 140 re-enrolled in week 1, though a further 200-300 have indicated that they intend to return as soon as they have funds to do so. Both schools had 600 students before the pandemic hit.
The situation in Uganda over the past two years has been tough and parents and children are anxious to get back to school. However, the lockdown has left scars
The Uganda government is sending teams around Uganda to sensitise teachers to the need to look out for signs of trauma and to strategies for helping the many children affected. The Humanist schools are doing their best to help by making the schools safe and happy places for the children when they return. Unlike many other schools in Uganda, Isaac Newton High School and the other Humanist schools have made it clear that they will welcome back to school girls who have suffered sexual abuse and become pregnant.
The scale of the problem of getting children back to school is enormous. UHST is working with the schools to find the most effective ways, within the bounds of the resources we have available, to help families meet some of these costs. We are trying to muster meaningful sized pots of money that can be used as hardship funds. The task can seem almost overwhelming as practically all children come from families suffering financial stress.
UHST and the schools are hugely grateful to our supporters for their help in getting the Humanist Schools through the trials of the last two years. I am sure we all wish the schools well in their desire to open minds and empower future generations of young people to create better lives for themselves and the communities from which they come.
Category: News