Beaming Zombo Community Gets Project Extension Towards Classrooms Expansion

A consortium of local NGOs, in partnership with Co-operaid, a Switzerland-based non-governmental organization, has announced the extension of their project aimed at supporting primary education and skilling programs in Zombo District. The new phase of the project will run from January 1, 2025, to December 2027.

The consortium, which includes Life Concern (LICO), Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CERFORD), Nebbi NGO Forum, and Co-operaid, revealed that after the implementation of Phase I of the “Aloci Ku Somu” project, they discovered a continued and pressing need for additional support in the district.

Phase I of the “Aloci Ku Somu” project resulted in the construction and renovation of 21 classroom blocks and staff houses, developed in collaboration with the local community and district authorities. Community members contributed local materials such as bricks, sand, stones, and water, while Co-operaid provided the necessary financial support for the infrastructure development.

At a press conference held at County Cottages in Paidha Town Council, Zombo District, Co-operaid Co-Director Marcel Auf der Maur announced the three-year extension of the project. He highlighted the ongoing need for more school infrastructure, particularly for new classrooms, renovations, sanitation facilities, and sports fields. 

“We are in a three-year phase now, it is called the Aloci Ku Somu project. We supported 21 schools in the last two years, and it is continuing now and will continue for the next three years. The infrastructure needs are overwhelming. There are still many schools in Zombo that need new buildings, renovations, washrooms, and sports fields,” Auf der Maur said.

He emphasized Co-operaid’s commitment to supporting child rights to education, a cause the organization has championed since its inception in 1991.  Phase I of the project was implemented with a budget of Shs 4.2 billion. On Monday, the implementing partners set up an independent jury to vet beneficiary schools for the 2025-2027 project. The jury, which consists of seven members, will evaluate the schools and determine the most eligible recipients for further assistance.

The jury is made up of a legal expert, an educationist representing the education department, a cultural institutions representative, a teachers’ representative, a community representative, a media representative, and a youth representative. 

The jury’s leadership was determined through a vote, with Samuel Ochaki elected as chairperson, Rosemary Onyutha as vice-chairperson, and Silvio Jalar as secretary. Other members include Wilfred Ukethwengu (legal person), John Pascal Wapokurwa (representing Alur Kingdom), Alex Pithua (representing the media), and Princess Kristober (representing the youth).

At a meeting with the jury at CEFORD’s office in Paidha Town Council, John Bosco Okaya, the project coordinator for Phase II, urged the jury to vet schools based solely on need, without considering political or religious affiliations. 

“We want you to vet the schools regardless of political and religious affiliations so that the most deserving communities benefit,” Okaya told the jury.

//Cue-in: “We cannot start without jury  

Cue-out: “…Now you constitute yourself.” //

Ochaki, the chairperson of the jury, commended the consortium and their funder for extending the project. He acknowledged that many classroom gaps had been filled and more infrastructure would be improved in the coming phase. 

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Cue-out: “...we have 98 schools.” //

The schools benefiting from the project will include government-aided, private, and community-owned schools in Zombo District.

Silvio Jalar, Zombo District Education Inspector, explained that the local government has also contributed to the infrastructure improvements. “The local government has put additional support into schools like Adusi Primary School (Shs 60 million), Uturgang Boys Primary School (Shs 50 million), and has allocated Shs 68 million this financial year for other schools to supplement the donor funding,” Jalar shared.

//Cue-in: “Much as we are in the project... 

Cue-out: “…schools are going to benefit.” //

Earlier this year, stakeholders praised Co-operaid for its support and called for continued funding to support primary education in Zombo District. The district continues to lag behind in terms of educational outcomes, with a high dropout rate and a low completion rate for primary education.

James Oruna Oyullu, the Zombo District LCV chairperson, commended Life Concern for its role in retaining learners in school over the past two years, noting that the district has seen tangible benefits from the initiative.

“This is a good job on behalf of the district, and I encourage Life Concern to continue lobbying for more support for education in Zombo District,” Oyullu said. Grace Atim, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner, also acknowledged the improvements in education resulting from Co-operaid’s funding.

“Life Concern, go and knock on the doors of the funders to continue supporting education in Zombo District,” Atim concluded in her remarks. According to the Uganda National Schools Electronic Registry, there are 111 primary schools in Zombo District. 

The district council has raised concerns about the inadequate number of classrooms due to increasing enrollment, with some schools resorting to makeshift classrooms or overcrowded settings.

In April 2024, during the 39th anniversary celebrations at Aluka Secondary School, the Minister of State for Primary Education, Joyce Moriko Kaducu, recognized the need for more classrooms across the country. She noted that the population has increased, and the old-school infrastructure designs are unable to accommodate the growing number of learners.