Recent Updates Regarding the Safety In Learning Project can be found at:  http://safetyinlearning.blog.com/

A Country in Crisis

“In June 2005 UNICEF reported that 60% of primary schools in [Northern Uganda] were non-functional due to forced displacement.” (“Counting the Cost: Twenty Years of War in Northern Uganda,” March 2006)

“Eighty per cent is also the grim proportion of children there [Northern Uganda] aged 7 to 18 who have never been to school – a majority of them girls” (UNICEF, 2007)

“Schools become a safe space that can provide psychological support, stability and a sense of normalcy to children affected by conflict.” (UNICEF, 2007)

Children in Northern Uganda, Victims of Humanitarian Emergency

Since 1986, Northern Uganda has been trapped in a deadly cycle of violence and suffering. Despite improvements in security and continuous peace talks, the humanitarian situation for over 1.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) remains difficult. Jan Egeland, former UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, described the living conditions within the IDP camps as “the biggest forgotten, neglected humanitarian emergency in the world today.” Children and women comprise 80 percent of internally displaced persons. They have been direct targets of attacks, sexual violence and abductions perpetuated by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and other paramilitary groups. Nearly 25,000 children have been abducted since the late-1980s. 

The Many Challenges Ugandans Face to Attend Primary School

In 1996, all Ugandans living in the North were moved into “Protected Villages.” Few of these camps included schools. When Universal Primary Education was introduced in 1997 for all of Uganda, children in the North had little chance to take advantage of the opportunity. The latest UNICEF data indicates that more than 700,000 children ages 6 to 12 have never attended school. At least two-thirds of children enrolled in primary school are unable to complete their full primary education cycle. The challenges with universal primary education affect girls more intensely. A significant gap remains in the attendance of girls in schools. 

Struggling in an Imperfect System 

The universal primary education system is a great starting point, but it still suffers significant limitations. Although enrollment in public school does not have any fees, families and children are responsible to purchase their own uniform, books, paper, and pencils. In the North, most families are struggling to survive on less than $1 a day. They simply cannot afford to help rebuild schools for the children to attend, pay for any incidental costs and fees, and obtain materials for their children to attend school. Therefore, even though the system is available, it is not accessible to all families. The Gulu Education Officer, however, recently confirmed that despite the many physical and financial challenges, the demand to attend school is extremely high.

Peace and Opportunity Are Spreading, but Schools Still in Dire Need of Repair 

As the cessation of hostilities in the North brings peace to the region, children living in Northern Uganda finally have the opportunity to attend school regularly. Those schools unfortunately still show the scars of war. They structure is perforated with bullet holes. The walls and rooftops are collapsing from years of disrepair. In summer 2007, Uganda will enact Universal Secondary Education and continue to enhance its educational system. The government, however, has no plan to rebuild the schools of the North due to lack of funding. The burden for school repairs must then fall upon nongovernmental organizations and individual communities - communities that are already struggling to meet their most basic needs. To bring hope to the future generations of Northern Uganda, we must rebuild the schools to prevent another generation of children from missing the opportunity to get an education.   

Overwhelming Interest in Olya and the Need for Expansion 

Currently, Olya Primary has a staggering teacher-student ration of 1:83. Due to the limited space of four classrooms, the school must also regularly turn students away. The only other nearby school is a 2-mile walk from Olya. The school has done its best to accommodate as many students as possible by having classes outside under trees. Even throughout times of war in Southern Sudan and Northern Uganda, children have continued to attend Olya Primary School. Because the school is located between a Refugee camp and an IDP camp, a reconstructed and expanded space could allow more children from both places to attend. Children who currently have little to occupy themselves in the camps would have the opportunity to participate in constructive educational activities throughout the day. A school is a safe escape for children who have little else in their lives. To communities like these, a school represents a chance to work for a better future. A renovated structure will represent hope for a safer future for these children.   

Ready for Reconstruction, But the Children Need Your Help