In Jiro Village, Kuluba Subcounty, Koboko District, access to early childhood development (ECD) services and primary education was a significant community concern. Before 2013, the nearest educational facility was Monodu Primary School, located six kilometres away. This distance presented a major barrier for young children, resulting in primary school-going children typically starting Primary One much later than normal, often at ages 12 or 13.
With vital support from Literacy and Adult Basic Education (LABE), Jiro Home Learning Centre (HLC) started providing a crucial access to foundational education (ECD) services for children aged three to six years from marginalised families in the Jiro community and neighbouring villages, thus preparing them for the transition to primary education.
While the HLC successfully improved school readiness and transition rates, a persistent challenge emerged over the following decade. According to Kalungi Florence, a caregiver at the HLC, the majority of children who transitioned to Monodu Primary School often failed to complete their Primary education. Dropout rates were high, leading to issues such as early marriage and substance abuse among young people in the community. The six-kilometre trek remained a significant hurdle impacting retention and overall educational outcomes.
Recognising the community’s organised effort and demonstrated need, the existence and proven success of the HLC catalysed a new, transformative solution by African Revival, a faith-based organisation (FBO) working in partnership with the Koboko District Education Department stepped in to construct a permanent, local primary school facility set to be open and operationalise from Term One, 2026.
According to the parents, the HLC served as the foundational proof of concept that attracted this significant infrastructural investment.
“Without LABE and the HLC, we would not have gotten African Revival to construct for us Jiro Primary School, a development to eliminate the six-kilometre barrier, increase enrolment rates, and drastically improve retention and completion rates for primary education in Jiro Village and the villages around,’’ Kalungi Florence, a caregiver at Jiro HLC, stated.
The journey from a community-managed HLC to a fully functional primary school demonstrates the powerful ripple effect of grassroots initiatives when supported by dedicated NGO partnerships.
