Alinyiikira Junior School started in 2004, with a mission of providing quality education to school going children, for a better future. In its inaugural year, (2004), we started with 58 pupils, 7 teachers and 3 non-teaching staff. Currently the number of pupils stands at 123, 10 teachers and 3 non-teaching staff.
The idea of starting this school was mooted by the chairman of the management committee, who saw the need in the area, where children of school going age were either not going to school or not getting quality education to enable them get good grades to take them to the next level. He shared this idea with the local leadership of the area, who embraced it. The idea was to start a vocational school which could take on those that have either failed to go to secondary schools or children who may not be able to continue to the next level but at least attain some vocational skills when they are still in primary, that could help them to be self reliant in future.
The means of raising the money to start the school were discussed and members were asked to contribute whatever they could afford. Time went on without concrete contributions, though the chairman had donated land where the school could be built. When contributions were not forthcoming, the chairman sold the idea to the family members who agreed to contribute money to put up the structures.
Construction of the structures started in 2002 up to 2004 when the management committee decided that the school should be opened in 2004 by admitting pupils from nursery up to primary six. The vocational studies were shelved due to lack of instructional materials, which could not be afforded at the time. The school is now following the normal primary school curriculum but the original idea of imparting vocational skills to the children is still under consideration and will start as soon as the necessary equipment for vocational training are obtained.
We managed to put up a four classroom block, a two roomed dormitory, a two roomed administration block, a sixty feet VIP latrine, one water reservoir tank of 8000 litres, secured 1 kwh Generator (to help in providing power for night studies) and also buying some furniture and scholastic materials though not yet sufficient.
Due to the continuing increase in number of children, the school has experienced the following:
* Inadequate number of classrooms
* Insufficient stationery
* Inadequate reference textbooks
* Lack of power supply since we are not yet connected to the grid.
* The need for computer literacy given that this is an era of computers. We need to equip our children with computer knowledge.
* Not being able to offer vocational training as originally planned due to lack of necessary equipment like computers, type-writers and sewing machines.
We have tried our level best to put in place some of the above requirements though some of them are beyond our financial capability. An example of this is the power supply, where we have managed to acquire a generator but given the size of the school, it is not able to meet all the power requirements of the school, coupled with the high costs of running it.
Although a number of challenges have been mentioned, we believe that, these should not divert us from our mission which is based on three pillars i.e., discipline, academic excellency, the fear of God above all.
Kiggundu Mark Alex
HEADMASTER