Seeds Of Knowledge: Case Study Of A Grassroots Planned And Managed Project For School Fee Reduction And Food Security For Primary Schools In Jinja, Uganda

The government of Uganda has accomplished much through 12 years of Universal Primary Education (UPE) to attempt to bring basic primary education to all children. Currently, primary enrollment rates in Uganda are around 88% for both boys and girls however, as this paper shows, the quality of the education the children are receiving is a big issue that is continually under threat from a lack of resources, high birth rates affecting an overburdened public educational system and a need to increase funding for public secondary schools which will cause cutbacks in primary education expenditures if new donor money cannot be found. This paper, a case study of St. Nicholas Primary, a private school in Jinja, Uganda, attempts to show how organic farming at private schools for food staples, like maize, can provide food security, provide a new revenue source and bring about needed practical education for children all while helping to lower school fees and provide more children quality primary education. St. Nicholas Primary exists to provide a quality education for pupils from poor, rural families; however it must charge fees that make it much more expensive than public schools. With four acres of unused land, the school has just started organic farming of hybrid maize seed to lower food expenses and provide a surplus to sell and drive down, over time, school fees at the school. This study shows the challenges from inception to the first harvest at the school farm. It is meant to be a guideline for other private schools that wish to embark on farming to provide financial stability as well as needed practical farming education. With farming, tax credits and teacher salary support, the Government of Uganda could bring in the under-utilized private primary schools in a more economical approach to providing universal primary education for an ever increasing body of young and poor children