UNESCO’s recently released Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring report lists encouraging statistics regarding gender parity in Uganda’s educational system. The report states that Uganda improved by 95 per cent over the last decade. Statistics from the Education Ministry show that net enrollment for girls increased from 82.3 per cent in 2000 to 97.2 per cent today. Among boys the same figure rose from 88.8 per cent in 2000 to a current rate of 96.3 per cent.
This is a step forward for Uganda, which ranks among the lowest nations in the United Nations Development Programe human development rankings. And though getting students into class is a starting point, some are stressing that quality is more important than quantity. “If we are seeing both sexes at par, how many of those can read and write?” asked MP Rosemary Sseninde. “I think we must appreciate that we are making strides. We are determined to address all the challenges, like improving facilities, access to scholastic materials and ensuring that classrooms are not overcrowded,” said Jessica Alupo, Uganda’s Education Minister.
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Written by Alex Leedom