Uganda Reopens Schools After the World’s Longest Covid Shutdown
Friends,
After being closed for nearly two years, during which we were proud to be one of only two private schools in the country to continue providing financial support to our staff, The East Africa Secondary & Vocational School officially reopened on January 10, 2022.
While we were thrilled to welcome 77 students and 20 staff back to school in January, it has not been without challenges. A recent article by the New York Times, Uganda Reopens Schools After the World’s Longest Covid Shutdown, categorizes the damage this extended shutdown has had and will continue to have on the Ugandan economy, on schools across the country, and on students and their families.
Our continued focus on the education of girls, orphans, and other vulnerable children (OVC) has never been more important and we are continuously grateful to our community of donors for your support of our mission.
Read on for updates since school has reopened and as always, thank you for your continued support of Friends of TASAAGA and all that you enable us to accomplish!
Extended Curriculum
One specific challenge as we reopen school is that the Ugandan Ministry of Education is requiring schools to make up for the 2 years of lost education during the pandemic over the next 18 months. This has materialized in the form of extending our school day from 8:00AM-4:30PM to 6:00AM-6:00PM. As you can imagine, this is a sizable increase in hours spent in the classroom by students and teachers alike and our administration is taking many steps to ensure it is both effective and sustainable.
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Buganda Government Visit: TASAAGA East Africa Secondary & Vocational School Students entertaining Buganda government officials at Busukuma subcounty grounds.
TASAAGA Vaccination Clinic: TASAAGA has coordinated multiple vaccination clinics in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the Bugema University School of Nurses and Midwives. Vaccinations were been provided to all of our teachers, some of our students, and residents of Sitabaale and other nearby communities. All clinics were well attended.
International Women's Day: On March 8, 2022 the students of TASAAGA's Primary School and East Africa Secondary & Vocational School organized a march advocating for the empowerment and education of girls across Uganda and the world. Read more about the televised event in this local article.
Woodworking Classes Resume: In February, all three vocational classes resumed. Students were excited for the opportunity to learn skills like woodworking to augment their traditional learning curriculum. Here, the students are making bookshelves for the primary school.
Hairdressing Classes Resume: Hairdressing is a vocational skill in high demand in Uganda. Boys and girls are encouraged to sign up for any of our vocational training classes.
Tailoring Classes Resume: Students love learning sewing and tailoring, skills they can use both personally and professionally, using machines donated by Friends of TASAAGA-US over the past few years.
TASAAGA Sports Teams Compete Against Local Schools: Students take time out of their busy learning schedule to get some exercise and have some fun!
Other Updates
COVID19: While school has reopened, the spread of COVID19 remains a threat to students, staff, and community members. The TASAAGA Administration has taken safety precautions to minimize the spread of the virus, but a few cases have emerged within the school since reopening in January. No serious cases have occurred.
Malaria: During the rainy season in Uganda, Malaria outbreaks are common given the increase in mosquito breeding. TASAAGA continues to try to provide mosquito nets to all of our students, but there have been a number of Malaria cases in the school. We continue to monitor this closely and have brought in a nurse to teach the school’s matron treatment protocols to reduce the need for clinic visits.
Water & Electricity Shortages: In recent months the village of Sitabaale has experienced water shortages along with electricity outages. TASAAGA has taken actions to secure alternative sources of water via repairing a local borehole and trucking in external water. They also installed small solar panels to help with access to electricity in the dormitories at night.