Did you know that refugee children are five times more likely to be out of school than non-refugee children?
According to UNHCR’s 2023 Education Report, enrollment in secondary school is around 76% globally and drops dramatically to 10% at secondary levels within refugee camp settings in Uganda.
This alarming statistic highlights the significant barriers that many refugee youths face in accessing formal education such as the lack of appropriate educational resources. Particularly in Uganda, there is high student-to-teacher ratio, with an average of 73 refugee students for each teacher. Having to manage overcrowded classrooms with limited resources like textbooks & teaching materials, teachers are often overwhelmed and students can find it challenging to stay engaged with the lessons, eventually leading to poor academic performances and high dropout rates.
However it is agreed that younger children and learners from disadvantaged backgrounds benefit from a lower pupil-to-teacher ratio.
While few countries are able to report reliable figures, some
appear to have very high ratios – Uganda, for instance, has
an average of 73 refugee pupils for each teacher.
Education is a Basic Necessity for All
Often, even for those who manage to attend school, the quality of education is often substandard. But for those of us that are fortunate and lucky, it’s crucial that we address these issues to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to receive a quality education.
By developing and implementing innovative educational board games like the 5 Staz, we are working closely with our partner schools in Kyangwali Refugee Camp to positively impact the education for refugee children in Uganda.
The 5 Staz breaks down Uganda’s primary school curriculum into engaging, modularized packages that make learning interactive and fun. This transformation of learning spaces creates an environment where both teachers and students thrive, fostering a dynamic peer-to-peer learning experience. As a result, students not only see significant improvements in their academic outcomes but also gain essential life skills such as leadership, teamwork, and effective communication.
The results from our 2023 impact assessment were particularly encouraging. For example, over 80% of students from our parner schools have testified that some of our programs like the 5 Staz educational board games have helped them prepare for exams and ultimately improved their academic performance.
Over 80 percent students say the game aid with exam prep.
65 % of teachers in resource-poor camps benefit from the 5 Staz, which improves teaching by 65 %.
Thank you to each one of those who have supported our work. My Home Stars is 100% donation and grant operated and we couldn’t have done what we done without your support.
