Where We Work : Uganda : Education

Second-chance primary schools

If you are a young child living in Northern Uganda today, you only have a 2% chance of completing your primary school education. So BRAC set up ‘second chance’ primary schools for older children, who have dropped out, or never started formal education in the war-torn region of Northern Uganda.

BRAC provides three years of primary education in just two years, after which students are integrated into government schools. So far, we have graduated more than 2,000 students.

We currently have 265 schools serving more than 7,000 girls and boys. All of BRAC’s teachers are women, who are selected from the communities and receive on-going and extensive teacher training.

Main features of our approach:

• School timing flexibility
• Schools based close to students' homes
• Small class sizes managed by female teachers
• Little or no homework
• Child friendly teaching environment
• Basic education plus relevant life skills, like health, agriculture
• Zero financial cost for students or guardians
• Close involvement of parents and communities in school management

BRAC’s schools contribute to fulfilling the basic educational needs of the most deprived children in Uganda. Each school admits 30 to 35 children, and employs one teacher for a two-year school cycle. We follow the Government Primary School Curriculum.

We also help promote increased female participation in education – as students and teachers.