KABASAMBU TEDDY JANET
In the heart of the ghetto, exists a number of unregistered schools owned by volunteers to teach public order and basic life skills to street children in a bid to rehabilitate them to curb down the rising cases.
Though not legal, the Division mayor Kampala Central, Salim Uhuru, said that government needs to support them to better their services given the fact that they benefit the community.
Tibamwenda Housing and Learning Facility is situated in the heart of Kisenyi, Kampala Central division. It provides informal education services to street children.
According the authorities, the facility, started over seven years ago, has continued to provide informal education on public order as well as rehabilitating them.
"We started this system because these children were very problematic and cruel.They dint even know we had governance in this country," said Prince Hajj Swaleh, the facility's director.
However, these according to one of the facility teachers, Bategyeka Dastid Shaaft, they do not use the curriculum from the ministry of Education and Sports but rather use informal education to instil religious as well as moral values in the street children.
"We conduct programs connected with behaviour of decent people since they live on streets without order. We also instil religious values in them to spark a sense of humanity in them. They live like animals on these streets," said Bategyeka.
According to the learners, the learning sessions give them hope to better their futures despite the dark suffering they go through on the streets.
“I wish to become a doctor. I want to be able to take care of sick people since we did not get a chance to have this privilege ourselves.” said a one Prince Lubega, a learner at the facility.
Seven year old Adam Mugabe said: “I wish to become a pilot in future so that I can travel the world."
Given the uncertainty surrounding the future of their education, the learners said that they go to the learning facilities to share love with their mates.
"We always come here to learn but most importantly to us, we still need care and love as children and that’s why we come here, to share love with our teachers," Lubega said.
The learning facility has more than 100 children and some have left to set up income generating activities like carpentry, mechanics among others .
"The majority have graduated to small scale income generating activities like being mechanics, tailors, some sell eggs while others make shoes among others," said Bategyeka.
Despite the questions on the legality of the learning facility, Uhuru, the central division mayor said he supports their objectives given the fact that they are for the good of the community.
"These schools are illegal, but because they are doing a good job to empower these kids, we shall kill one eye. It’s our duty to come out and support them since me as the mayor, I also have about three in my parish skilling them into boxing, singing, mechanics among others," Uhuru said.
The leadership of the learning facility said its hopes to upgrade the standard of the facility to the level of registration to be able to facilitate more vulnerable persons.