Education Tools for Buwagga
Kasangati, Uganda
Encourage science education in developing communities
Located in rural Uganda, Buwagga Senior Secondary School was established by the community members with the objective of being able to offer equal access to quality education right in their own village. In particular, the school is working towards building a progressive science and vocational studies program, while still ensuring that this program is accessible to all students, in particular the rural poor and girls. Although this farming community is only about 20 km from the modern capital city, Kampala, there is a significant difference in the standard of living outside the urban areas. The divide between the quality of education directly impacts the development of the country. Rural schools are often forced to cut costs by limiting or omitting science education. When you ask the rural students about their career goals, of course you will get the same ambitious responses as expected anywhere: "A doctor, a nurse, an engineer". However, without a complete education including all subjects, opportunities are lost. Students at the Ugandan universities tend to be exclusively from the urban areas. In its rural setting, Buwagga School plans to develop an educational environment to encourage academic excellence and practical skills, which will in turn give their young people a chance to improve their lives and community.
Project Scope
The Buwagga village and neighboring communities are eager to work with the school. Along with Buwagga School, there is a primary school adjacent and several villages in the surrounding area that also lack access to potable water and electricity. The school is promoting research with the community for the adoption of appropriate technical solutions, which can be locally maintained, generating long-term benefits. Health and environmental problems are also in need of assistance. Buwagga School is an ideal location to branch out to the community to offer support. For instance, there are plans for a health clinic to be established on the border of the school offering services to both students and the community.
Buwagga School has already come a long way; however, there are still many challenges restraining their progress. For example, the lack of educational tools such as basic textbooks and laboratory equipment are limiting school's potential. Currently books are scarce with only one or two books per class. The primary fundraising goals are to help the school attain appropriate educational tools. Funds will go directly to the science program, which is a major cost for the school. Supporting basic science laboratories can enable the school to be able to offer science following the Ugandan curriculum. A future goal of the Buwagga School is to offer the advanced-level secondary school science, comparable to the UK's A-level, which is necessary for opening the door for students to various career choices.
Project Fundraiser
Several MAA fundraisers for Buwagga have helped to fund some of the educational tools. Please click here for event details.
The Future
Buwagga's vision to battle poverty through educational innovations can be used as a model for developing communities. The student population is expected to expand at an enormous rate over the next few years. The quality of education should not be sacrificed by the effort to educate the large population, in particular the rural poor. Buwagga School plans to build a strong educational base, particularly in the sciences, while ensuring that student fees remain minimal.
