By Istvan Tarrosy
Jackson Kaguri built a tuition-free school for AIDS orphans in his home village in Southwestern Uganda.
France Mutombo, a Congolese-born Adventist pastor, and his Hungarian wife manage a school and orphanage in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where all children have “foster parents” in Hungary supporting their education.
In 2006, almost half the world’s estimated 75 million children not attending school were in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2009.
Many stakeholders now focus on improving education in Africa, from well-trained teachers and good equipment to health service (nurse) and a daily meal at school.
“The future of Africa depends on advances in educational opportunity, on greater access to enhanced schooling chances, and on ensuring that more of Africa’s young – especially girls – are well educated,” Harvard professor Robert I. Rotberg, said in his 2013 book “Africa Emerges.” Rotberg is president emeritus of the World Peace Foundation.
Substantial efforts are made both by African governments and international donors, non-government organizations, religious groups and individuals to overcome Africa’s knowledge gap.
This can lead in the long run to a “knowledge and skill revolution,” said Mutombo. “When a country, a community becomes better educated – well-taught in a modern school system – a knowledge boom will follow.”
Mutombo’s Foundation for Africa aims to provide schooling and vocational training for hundreds of children of poor families. His College Othniel enrolls 500 elementary and high school students, and they all have “foster parents” in Hungary supporting their education annually.
“Education is the only way to break the cycle of poverty and deprivation. It is an asset every citizen must possess regardless if these people get jobs or not,” said Kaguri.
Kaguri’s Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project tries to provide education using a holistic human rights-based approach to end the cycle of poverty.
Named a CNN 2012 Hero, Kaguri defines a quality African education this way: “I say we do free and compulsory education for all. Keep classes at 30 per class, feed all students a lunch, have a nurse and clean drinking water so students can do well in school. There is no penalty for not sending a child to school, meaning that a parent can decide to request their children to work at home and face no consequences,” Kaguri told AfkInsider.
Kaguri is the author of “A School for My Village,” a memoir that recounts the challenges and triumphs of creating and managing Nyaka School. The book, which former President Jimmy Carter credited as “an inspiring account of turning tragedy into hope for others,” has been adopted by schools and is taught at a number of universities around the globe.
It was recommended, for example, by J. Bernard Machen, president of the University of Florida, to be “incorporated into coursework and group discussions” for the first year of students of Class of 2017.
Associate Dean Margaret Fields of the University of Florida’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences said, “anytime we have a book that can bring our students together for a better understanding of other people, other cultures and provide the opportunity to reflect on our differences and commonalities, it is a good thing.”
Kaguri’s “emotionally charged story” may help raise awareness and funds, but also recruit volunteers for Nyaka.
“Africans and their governments want to join the knowledge environment,” Rotberg said, but he also expects that “major policy shifts and budgetary re-allocations will be essential to catch up.”
Africa’s gender issues need special attention, Kaguri said. In Uganda, conducive government policies helped increase female enrollment in schools.
Nyaka’s student body is 65 percent girls.
By promoting gender equality, Mutombo said, “many more girls are really committed to go to school and finish than boys, because for girls this is a privilege and they are really motivated.”
