Assessing the role of refugee community on the management of UPE schools in settlement camps of Uganda: case study Kiryandongo refugee camp, Kiryandongo district

Abstract

The study was carried out to assess the role of refuge community in the management of universal primary education (UPE) in the settlement camps of Uganda; A case of Kiryandongo district. Study objectives were to examine the contributions, investigate the challenges and establish solutions to refugee participation in the management of (UPE). The study was carried out in eight primary schools using a cross sectional survey design employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data was collected using open-ended questionnaires, structured interview, observation and documentation review. Sampling methods used included; purposive, stratified and convenient sampling on 178 respondents including teachers, head teachers and the school management. The findings revealed; Stakeholder roles are not clearly defined, capitation grant to the schools is calculated based on the number of Ugandan children in those schools, efforts by development partners to organize parents into saving groups were wasted as parents saved for other affairs not for the education of children. The research also discovered 3 categories of teachers at the school those employed by government, recruited partners and community volunteers all three groups coexisting in the same school created a chaotic situation. On the whole, the study concluded that refugee participation in UPE was rather coincidental than planned. The study recommended policy review to clearly define stakeholder roles. In addition, the need to manage the teacher issues to avoid the chaotic teacher scene, which created learning disruption.