BWINDI MGAHINGA CONSERVATION TRUST EQUIPS TEACHERS WITH SKILLS TO IMPART EDUCATION IN BATWA COMMUNITY.

By Ambrose Kweronda
in kigezi.

Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Trust (BMCT) has embarked on a move to equip teachers with psychosocial skills in a bid to upsurge the number of Batwa School going children.

A non-government government that works within a radius of two parishes surrounding Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in October,2022, launched a one-year Sustainable Education Responses for Batwa Children (SEREB) project, worth Ugx 150 million to enhance Batwa education in the districts of Kisoro, Rubanda and Kanungu.

The objective of the USAID funded project which was launched at the Kisoro district headquarters is to improve Batwa children’s perception of education, also seeks to help Batwa parents improve on their saving skills in order to meet the needs of their school going children.

The BMCT Administrator Wilberforce Tumwesigye speaking at the closure of a four days’ workshop dubbed “Sustainable Education Responses for Batwa Children” (SEREB) on 16th Dec 2022 that attracted over 200 Education officers and head teachers said that their goal is to see Batwa community educated and developed.

Head teacher Mayuyemeru SDA Primary School in Kisoro District said that the administration has always been lenient with the Batwa children who report at school late as a way of imparting hope in them and fight discrimination to look after them like other pupils.

Judith Abensigensi, Head Teacher Bucundura Primary School in Rubanda District explained the cumbersome Batwa way of living in regard to socialization. She reinstated that the Batwa encounter isolation tendencies from the Bakiga.

Edson Tumwesigye, the Inspector of Schools Kanungu District said that the district Education department has traversed to schools that educate the Batwa and follow up cases of neglect.
Tumwesigye says that they intend to gear up the move to seek those that have dropped out from school such that they are brought back to attain Education.

Meanwhile, Scolla Tumwebaze the programs Coordinator Batwa appealed to the government to construct schools for Batwa, holistically support with all scholastic requirements.

However, since its inception in 1994, BMCT has been supporting Education and research through the Batwa Sponsorship scheme, and skilling for Employment programs.