RACOBAO supports orphans and other vulnerable children with school fees and other scholastic materials so these children can enjoy their right to education as set out by Ugandan law. Despite the existence of the state universal free Primary and Secondary Education, many orphans do not attend school due to several factors including poverty, blockages by school administrations, household responsibilities, and little or no enforcement of the laws by education officers.
Poverty denies orphans the right to attain education and was identified as a key factor responsible for pupils’ school drop out by the recent Diagnostic Study report on Cases of Low Primary Education Completion Rates (Ministry of Education, 2007). Children from Child Headed Holds have been forced either to live alone, or with aged relatives, or with very sick parents who are unable to provide for the family. Such orphans the majority of whom are girls therefore opt to stay at home and fend for themselves and their siblings instead of going to school.
The school fees put up by school administrations also exclude orphans from attending school. These fees may vary from school to school include mandatory fees for lunch and other basic requirements in school, such as uniforms and other scholastic materials. Though the policy of the government is to provide free universal primary and secondary education, schools continue to charge auxiliary fees. Besides, the quality of education in most government schools is very poor. This limits the chances of children from less privileged families to progress to higher levels of learning.
RACOBAO is providing school fees to Children living alone and other vulnerable children who completed Primary school but could not continue to attain secondary and tertiary education. The current sponsorship program supports these children up to senior six or senior four and join college for 2years. The cost of each child in a year is Uganda shillings 1,200,000 including school fees, scholastic materials and other necessities while at school.
86 students have been sponsored between 2008 and 2009. 27 have completed tertiary and senior six levels, while 59 are still continuing.
