school days

Want to know what high school is like in Uganda? The following report from Melissa, the CTT/SMK Liaison, spells it out.

Kajjansi Progressive Senior Secondary School is located in the heart of Kajjansi, Uganda (a small village a short distance south of Uganda’s capital city of Kampala). Kajjansi Progressive is a mixed boarding secondary school (with some day scholars) that provides a comprehensive education program from senior one to senior six. The School has been in operation for 19 years.

Change The Truth has a total of 14 students currently attending Kajjansi Progressive. Seven students are in the boarding section, and seven students are day scholars. Kajjansi Progressive has demonstrated exceptional understanding and support of the emotional and educational needs of the orphans from St. Mary Kevin. (Most of our other sponsored secondary students attend Bethel Covenant College.)

Students who are in Senior 1 and Senior 2 take 16 courses during each term. They are as follows: English, Mathematics, History, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Commerce, Computer, Christian (or Islamic) Religious Education, Political Education, Luganda, French, Agriculture, Literature, Fine Arts. Students in Senior 3 and Senior 4 take 10 subjects. Senior 5 and Senior 6 students take 4 subjects.

Boarding Students’ Daily School Schedule (Monday-Friday):

5:00a-6:00a Morning Class Prep Work
6:00a-7:00a Morning Prayer (Lead by students grouped within their religious denomination) and Breakfast
7:00a-4:40p Classes (one hour lunch break during the day)
4:40p-5:30p Extracurricular Activities or Organized Indoor games –or—Extra Lessons for Senior 4/ Senior 6 candidates (organized in small groups)
5:30p-6:00p Evening Dinner
7:30p-9:30p Evening Class Prep Work
10:00p Lights out within Dormitories
Note: All Progressive Students have School ½ day on Saturday, and all Boarding students attend church service for their religious denomination on Sunday.

As you can see, Secondary School in Uganda is serious business. Change the Truth does all it can to help make it a successful experience for the orphans/half orphans who qualify. CTT provides everything from the school uniform and books to toilet paper and a broom. We are so lucky to have Melissa watching over the kids now. She has told me that when she pulls up at the school in a taxi or on a boda-boda, the sponsored students go crazy with excitement that she has come to see them. Because of the strict and disciplined nature of the Ugandan schools, though, visits are few and far between.

Melissa is the “parent” who proudly shows up at Kajjansi Progressive and Bethel for the official Visitation Day. She usually brings along several of the students’ younger siblings. She attends the parent meeting and gets a chance to speak with many of the teachers about the individual progress of our sponsored kids.

Melissa also delivers "sponsor gifts" to the students. These include: one kilo of sugar, a small bottle of tomato sauce, a small jug of juice, one bar of wash soap, one fork and one covered bowl with lid.

She also hands out sponsor or pen pal letters and doles out encouraging words. And last, but far from least, she gives (and gets) a lot of hugs.