St Zoes May 2011. Some real world issues

With the massive drop in the value of the Uganda currency values there has been major inflation in costs. Add to this another really poor rainy season the result in problems and cost have been pretty serious. St. Zoe's looks after the accommodation and food for over 500 children  and much of the management time is spent on things our UK teachers never have to worry about. How can they find enough food for all these people when they are all poor.

This is part of the may Report from Director Andrew Ssempijja and it gives some feel for what he has to do.

ACADEMICS

P.7 Class

We have 41 candidates who have already been registration with UNEB. A special program has been set. This is to sit trial papers every Fridays and Saturdays. Marking must be done during the weekend and results have to be submitted before Tuesday of every week. Parents were requested to contributed 30,000/= for each candidate to cater for scholastic materials and motivation for the teachers in the program.

OTHER CLASSES

Serious teaching is taking place.

The aim is to push the syllabus of this term very well.

FOOD SECURITY

We have secured maize corn 3291kgs each kg at 800/= (very expensive) we still need to buy 9477 (not even half way)

With the beans, we have bought 980kgs. Of these, 380kgs were bought at 1900/= and 600kgs at 2100/= giving a total of 1,983,000/=

We still have to buy 3220kgs of beans.

We have sweet potatoes ready for eating.

We also have cassava at school which is planned for term three.

The planted maize at our new bought land, it is also thriving well (A hope for term three)

We have planted about 2 acres of cassava which was given to us from Mubende District Local Government.

Vegetable Gardens

The long drought affected our vegetable gardens and when the rainy season started some vegetables have been planted.

The first vocational school building

CHALLENGES FOR TERM TWO

1. FOOD, this is very crucial as the prices continue to escalate. Both beans and maize-corn are very expensive these days. We need to sit and plan for more planting of food crops so as to save some money that would be going for food.

2. High prices of items

3. Electricity.The solar can no longer serve efficiently.

4. Water problem since we are soon beginning a dry season and the rainy season did not give us enough water.

5. Improve the service delivery, so that we can convince the parents when we talk about fees increment.

OTHER ISSUES

 We sat as the administration and decided that on the 9^th of July, we shall have the following:

 Some entertainment by both primary and secondary

 To prepare a well researched fees structure that will guide the increment for the fees.

Written by Andrew Ssempijja    Director St Zoe's