Rubaga Friends
- a non-profit, tax-exempt charity
www.rubagafriends.org
rubagafriends@gmail.com
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Over the last quarter-century, the Rubaga Community School has grown from caring for a handful to now about 300 children.
Focus has always been on helping children without parents and children from very poor families. Without this admirable work many of the children accepted by the school would have been in a dire situation without proper education, healthcare, nutritious food, a place to live, and loving adult care.
THE RUBAGA COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Teaching is in English, Uganda's official language. There are many other local languages in use throughout the country and among the children.
The Rubaga Community School has governmental approval and certification as an educational institution, but it receives no public economic support.
It is costly to cover the students' fundamental needs, such as food and health care. In spite of a perpetual struggle for economic survival the school has managed to maintain quality education of the children.
Its students score higher than the general average for other schools in the region. At the State Primary Leave Examination in 2010, 20% of Rubaga students were awarded Grade A, 60% Grade B, and 20% Grade C.
At the end of the seven years primary school, some students go on to other schools for secondary education while for others school ends after seventh grade.
Teachers and other staff are a very enthusiastic group, determined to help the students through their difficult childhood and to ready them for life after school. Some of the teachers were brought up at the Rubaga Community School and have returned after passing their teacher exams. They are all dedicated to the mission of the school.
Many serious problems face the school, which is worthy of all the support that can be mustered!
Some facts about the Rubaga School**
- Private kindergarten and primary school
- 3 pre-school and 7 primary school classes
- Government approval and certification
- No economic government support
- 289 students - 87 boarders
- 11 teachers and 7 staff members
- School 2010 budget 234 million Ug. Shillings*,
about$85,000 (being updated)
- Regular tuition payments cover 22% of the costs
* Uganda's currency is called Shilling (UGX). By the end of
January 2012, 1 US Dollar equaled 2,300 Shillings.
** By September 2011.
Family situation of 260 students
October 2008
Both parents dead
92
92One parent alive but sick 34
34Two parents, both sick 27
27Parents unknown 15
15One parent 45
45From very poor families 47
47 Number of children, October 2008 260
School site
A solid fence separates the school from a narrow path leading to the school entrance.
The school is built on a tiny lot separated from neighbors by tall walls.
The L-shaped building complex with three storeys is pushed back to the boundaries leaving only a narrow alley on two sides. The outdoor kitchen is located in one of the two alleys.
In front of the buildings behind the blue fence is a tiny school yard.
Electricity supply is insecure due to unpredictable "brown-outs". Water use is restricted, and sewer facilities are not always dependable.
New children arrive all the time, many of them orphans 3 to 6 years old. Dormitories are getting over-crowded, so many children must sleep on the floor.
Demographics
A survey of the children's family situation was made in 2008 when the school cared for 260 children. It showed that 107 had no parents and 61 had fatally ill parents. Other 92 children had one or two live parents. Half of this group comes from extremely poor families.
More information and photos from the school:
School main entrance -- watch your head!
Students by Class Level and Sex
Received June 2011Boys Girls Total Boarders Pre-school 41 55 96 11
55 96 11 Primary 1 19 16 3 5 5 Primary 2 12 14 26 6
16 3 5 5 Primary 2 12 14 26 6 Primary 3 13 16 29 14
14 Primary 4 15 14 29 16
16 Primary 5 9 10 19 14
14 Primary 6 11 12 23 8
8 Primary 7 12 10 22 3
3 Secondary* 5 5 10 10
10 All 137 152 289 87
* At other schools
A little over one-half of the children are girls.
At present, 2 former Rubaga School students attend higher education and 25 are in secondary schools, 10 of them still living at the Rubaga School.
Other 10 students are supported by the Rubaga School while they receive vocational training like tailoring, metal fabrication, carpentry, and home economics at other institutions.
Eighty-seven students have their home at the school.
The school year has three terms:
Term one Beginning February to end of April
Term two End of May to end of August
Term three Late September to beginning of December
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