Kasese united humanist association has initiated the establishment of a private humanist nursery/primary school set up on the Foundation of Humanism and Science.
The school is called Kilembe Valley Humanist Nursery/Primary school and its set up on the Foundation of Humanism and Science.The idea of begining the school was an idea raised by Mr Bwambale Robert, the Founder and Director of Kasese united humanist association together with Mr Baluku Yusuf both of them humanists hailing within kasese district region.
The school is located in Katiri , Makerere village in kilembe sub county, a distance of about 10 kms from Kasese town in Western Uganda.The school is being housed in rented structures of the defunct kilembe mines limited and formerly before initiation of the school those houses used to serve as residential places for some mine workers.
The school premises are in good shape and the school management together with effort by the parents has helped in shaping the structures to suit the school premises.A small play ground is in place for the pupils to pass their leisure and the school is served with electricity and piped water.
The school now has a total of 180 registerd students and the school is offering nursery Education and Primary Education and so far below is school enrolment for last term ie February intake 2010:
Nusery Class:
LOWER ( BABY) 34
UPPER 21
Primary Class:
P. 1 39
P.2 37
P.3 20
P.4 17
P.5 12
CURRENT SCHOOL STAFF
Masika Nevercate Qualification Grade 3 Teacher
Sibuthokwa Zackus Grade 3
Thembo Remegio Grade 3
Kyakimwa Teddy Nursery Certificate
Ayikaru Gladys Nursery Csrtificate
Kalende Simon Senior Six Drop out
Magamba Jackson Grade 3
Atemi Mary Senior 5 Drop out
CHALLENGES FACED IN RUNNING KILEMBE VALLEY HUMANIST NURSERY/PRIMARY SCHOOL
1. INSUFFICIENT FINANCES:
The school since it begun has been undergoing financial set backs and at the moment funds to effect smooth running is still needed,The source of funds has been largely been contributed by the local community as payment of school fees of their pupils but owing to the financial crisis hitting hard on the side of these parents some of them are living below the poverty line and entirely peasant farmers,others were former workers of kilembe mines who at the moment are out of service and other retired.
The School Director Mr Baluku Yusuf and Bwambale Robert have tried all they can to inject in some financial resources out of their pockets with an aim to uplift secular education in this area.These is problems encountered in paying for teachers salaries and the non teaching staff.
2. HIGH NUMBER OF ORPHANS AND NEEDY PUPILS
Kasese and kilembe area in general is a locality that was affected badly by rebel insurgencies of the Allied Democratic Forces ADF and National Army for the Liberation of Uganda NALU and these attacks led to loss of lives in which men and women lost their lives leaving behind orphans,These attacks led to the attack on Kilembe Main Market located afew metres from our school in which it was set ablaze to ashes and local business people lost their merchandise and became poor.
Kasese United Humanist Association in a meeting that was held at the school recently in Mid March 2010 promised the Guardians that it will try and raise this issue to fellow Humanist,atheist and Rationalist Community all over the world to make sure we seek for foster parents to help in sponsoring the orphans and well performing needy students.
A Total of 41 Pupils in our school got themselves registered and are awaiting placement to potential sponsors.
3. GENERAL RENOVATION OF THE SCHOOL
Though the school management in conjunction with Kasese united humanist association have tried all they can in ensuring renovation of the structures, still more effort is needed to put the buildings in good shape like painting the entire premises, thorough renovation of the school kitchen, finishing up the new pit latrine which is under construction, equiping the Staff room/ Office with furniture and some office items and installing a shelves where we can be able to shelf the books and also putting a school library in place.
All the above have been not been possible because of the limited finances we have in our reach.
4. FENCING OF THE SCHOOL PREMISES
The school boundary so far is marked by temporary rids and there is a need to put a perimeter fence around the school so that there is security of the school properties not to be stolen by intruders and also securing easy monitoring of our pupils and privacy reasons.
The southern side is served with a brick wall but other places remain not covered,once we put the fence,there will also be a need to put a gate.
5. LIMITED SCHOOL TEXT BOOKS
The school doesnt have enough books to be used by teachers as Teaching Guides, we are operating on afew books purchased on our meagre resources and these are needed urgently for they play a vital role because its where the teacher gets the topics being taught.
Also books to belong to our school library are still small.
6. URGENT NEED FOR MORE TEACHERS
The school is getting a challenge of competent qualified teaching staff because at the moment we still have school drop outs on our teaching staff list, a total of nine teachers is still a small number but the reason we still have a few little staff is because we still cant maintain having a bigger staff and at the same time we are having hardships in meeting their salaries and further still what we give them is still pea nuts and there is a need to increase on their salaries such that they are motivated to teach.
7. LEGITIMACY OF THE SCHOOL
Kasese United Humanist association together with Mr Baluku Yusuf have tried all they can to follow the right channels and have the school get registered with the local authorities and so far the school has been registered at Vilage, Parish and Sub county Levels and plans are underway to have the school registered at District and National level.We hope to do this before this year 2010 ends.
REQUESTS FROM THE ENTIRE RATIONALIST WORLD
Kasese united humanist association embarked on this project so that it helps the young people of kasese to also get chance and attain Pre primary and Primary education so that we build a stronger foundation is modelling the younger generation on a secular point of view free from dogma and indoctrination of ancient religious beliefs.
We are kindly requesting the entire Humanist, Atheist and Rationalist community all over the world to support us so that we make our innovations a reality.Under this we need assistance in any of the forms mentioned below:
- Request for Teaching Volunteers to teach in this primary school and get to know more about the African Child,Quality of education at the same time getting to learn about different cultures and learning to live and volunteer in a foreign country.
- Kasese United Humanist Association in inviting request from potential Humanists and Atheists all over the world to help and sponsor any of the 40 Orphans and Needy Students at Kilembe valley humanist nursey/primary school, interested Foster parents are requested to write to the School Project Coordinator or Write to the Director, KUHA, P.O.Box 58 Kasese Uganda or Email info.kuha@gmail.com for details.
- We Request for Financial or Material Donations in support to the the school such that we are in position to run the school and advance it to greater heights.
- We request international vistors getting a tour to Uganda to visit us at Kasese united humanist association or the school and assess what we are doing and perhaps look at our accomplishments and the load we are carrying.
