Retain Teachers in Uganda School for 650 Students

Uganda has a plan to reopen schools completely and finish the 2020 academic year in late spring.  The 2021 year will commence in the summer.  This news makes the need for creation of more housing for teachers and staff on campus even more intense. 

Over the past few months, BCP donors have added to the fund to create that housing.  Work on the first 4-unit building can begin when a minimum of $5,000 is in the fund.  BCP has $3,146 in that fund now and will continue to search for donors or grantors to reach the magic level to commence work.    Each unit will cost $6,086 and accommodate 4 lucky teachers who will no longer face housing challenges. 

The entire faculty and staff will be on working on campus by March 1st.   Many came back to work in October of 2020 when the graduation candidates returned to resume their studies.  It is a serious effort to prepare for the exams that are so important to the next steps in their educaion.

The sight of the teacher housing construction will encourage teachers to stay at Bishop Comboni.  They are the backbone of quality education for this highly-rated secondary school. Thank you to all who have helped us!

Candidates for graduation in 2020 are now back on campus.  October 15 was the first day students could register.  Classes will be socially distanced, as are dorms, along with mandatory masks, etc.  The teachers have reassembled to teach the final year of O Levels (high school in the US) and A Levels ( junior college in the US).  The target is to work solely with academics and have these students prepared for National Exams in March of 2021.  Strict guidelines and inspections will keep the students and faculty as safe as possible.  The counselor, in her required mask, advised parents about the schedule.

The wonderful connection between students and faculty will be reinforced by stories of their survival during the six months of school closures.  Nothing has been easy.  Teachers had to move in with family, as did the students.  The closures and the impact on the economy has been felt around the world. Stories of the maturity of students helping their communities will be shared.

Teachers are back to again bond with the students.  This is the basis for the wonderful academic standards on the Bishop Comboni campus.   The caring atmosphere is key.  The work ethic of these students will allow them to graduate, a little later than planned, but without losing the year.  Students in the lower levels may not be as lucky.  The outcome of the first phase of reopening will dictate the next step.