Africa-Press – Uganda. The joint survey carried out by the local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) operating in Zombo district indicates that 65 percent of 100 youths can’t read and write.
The independent survey was carried out by a team of NGOs in the district where Life Concern (LICO), Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CEFORD), and Nebbi –NGO-Forum were involved in the survey in a bid to mobilize the communities to embrace education.
According to the survey findings, 65 percent out of 100 youths can’t read and write due to early dropout of pupils from school in the district.
The Executive director of LICO, Mr Emmy Kizito Kakura says, LICO has organized short-term courses to equip some of the uneducated youths as the beneficiaries in skills development for future benefits but still, the youth needs to be equipped with machines for value addition.
He added that in a bid to sensitize the communities towards increasing access to education for all in the district, a lot of interventions are being placed by the development partners in partnership with district local government by skilling youth who have dropped out of school in the profit-oriented enterprises.
“We have over 60 youths who graduated in various courses like tyre repair, tailoring, bakery and hairdressing, and videography for six months but they lacked machines to boost their skills,” Mr Kakura said.
He said the development partners are creating space for young people with the government to ensure their capacity is built through tangible training centers.
According to the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Zombo district, Mr Pius Alitema, since the children drop out of school at an early stage, youths in the district are unable to read and speak simple English.
He says, from P.1-P.2 the number of children enrolled in schools in the district is overwhelmed but by the time they reach P.7, the number reduces to 20 pupils in a class meaning that there’s a high dropout rate in the district.
“We are experiencing the high dropout rate at around P.3 and P.4 and this is a big challenge to the entire country if this is not addressed, the future of the children will be doomed,” Mr Alitema said.
He adds that, though the government has designed mechanisms for skilling the youths, the youth are so reluctant to adopt the initiatives due to the high illiteracy rate.
Mr Alitema further noted that in the recently commissioned Atyak Seed SS, only 65 students were occupying the multi-billion classroom constructed meaning that, there is a need for multi-sectoral approaches at the grass root level to mobilize the people to embrace education.
The District Community Development Officer Zombo district Mr Samuel Ocaki attributed the high dropout rate in the district to increased crimes among the youths and that the ones leading in committing the crimes are the juveniles who have dropped from schools.
“The unemployed youths in the district don’t complete P.7 and that’s why they end up sitting by the roadsides without any productive work,” Mr Ocaki said.
One of the parents, Mr Alex Okethwengu says, the illiteracy level in the district among the youths is contributed to petty activities carried out by the youths like lumbering and roadside businesses. “Our youths can’t read and write because they drop out of school when they are still at a lower level. We need to lay good strategies to attract the attention of the people,” Mr Okethwengu said.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
