Online studies: luxury and challenge in Uganda's virus lockdown

Some parents in Uganda are exploring online learning platforms to keep their wards engaged as schools in the country remain closed due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

Many private schools in the country, are offering online tutoring for fee paying children, while some parents are hiring tutors and providing computers for online classes.

Helga Nakiyingi-Rutaagi, is one such parent: “When the lockdown was lifted and the schools were still not going to open I felt that that was going to be an opportunity for me to get somebody who could help to fill these gaps before school starts.”

On the other side, parents who can’t afford this, have resorted to skills training. Like Susan Acheng, a mother of three. She is training her boys on pig farming. Making every day some sort of learning experience for her children.

“If you go to school you get more knowledge, but even skills are needed, so me I have some project of mine they go to the farm and they help me so that’s the way I am maintaining them,” she said.

According to the Ministry of Education, plans are advanced to provide learning materials for poor families who cant afford online class or private tutors. Reports say, Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates of children out of school anywhere in the world.

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