The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is looking to expand the Home Learning Centre (HLC) model implemented by Literacy Adult Education Establishments (LABEs).
Based on the HLC model, LABEs use innovative methods to engage children by incorporating locally made play materials into their lessons. They use materials such as clay dolls, cubes and handmade pottery to create interactive and fun learning experiences.
LABEs also provide training for parents on how to create these materials so that children can maintain their interest and motivation in learning throughout the Early Childhood Development (ECD) stage of life. This innovation is a response to the high cost of establishing early childhood education centres and aims to ensure that children in underserved areas can benefit from this important learning period in the development of every child.
During a series of field visits to project sites in northern Uganda and West Nile, Everest Tumwesigye, Secretary for Community Development and Literacy at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, said he was pleased with the model. “I was particularly impressed with the Terego District Education Officer (DEO) who transformed his home into a home learning centre to support ECD and home learning.
This shows that our goals are already being taken into account in the budget. With development funding coming from the Government of Uganda, we plan to scale these measures across the country.
We plan to turn LABE’s home learning centers into model centers and roll them out into a national program, “Tumwesigye”. The field visit took place ahead of International Literacy Day, celebrated annually on September 8th, and established a common framework for improving LABE’s efforts in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed between LABE and the Ministry on May 30th, 2024.
The MoU has already been implemented and significant progress has been made in West Nile, particularly in Koboko, Terego and Bongi districts.
“We would like to expand to more sub-counties in each district, such as Obongi, Terego and Koboko. However, our immediate focus is to expand our impact in our current areas and build a strong foundation before considering a broader expansion. We do not want to get into a situation where we are expanding, but some sub-districts are underperforming,” Stella Tumwebaze of LABE pointed out.
The Ministry of Gender also expressed its enthusiasm to renew its partnership with LABE, reiterating its commitment to adult basic education and early childhood development to ensure that it is accessible to all Ugandans. Established in 1989, LABE aims to meet the need for sustainable literacy skills.
It is essential for equitable development and escaping poverty at the grassroots level.
