Robanda Secondary School
The Robanda community on the western edge of the Serengeti needs a secondary school for girls and started construction on one six years ago. The girls from Robanda currently attend school 45km away in Mugumu. The school in Mugumu does not have dormitories, so many of the girls stay in hostels and end up dropping out or getting pregnant.
Girls with a secondary school education are ten times less likely to become pregnant as adolescents than girls with a primary school education or less. As of 2012, 98% of girls are enrolled in primary school, but only 24% are enrolled in secondary school. This has been slowly increasing, but the lack of convenient, high-quality secondary schools close to communities in which they live means girls have few educational options.
The community has built two dormitories, an administration block, toilets, classrooms, a headmaster's house, a laboratory, and the foundation for an assistant headmaster's house. We were astounded by the scale of the work that the Robanda community has completed on their own! In order to help them get across the finish line and be able to accept girls this coming school year, we have started construction on two 2-in-1 teachers' houses. The teachers' housing is one of the last remaining projects that needs to be completed before the government gives Robanda permission to open the school. The community leaders are working with other funders to complete latrines, acquire science laboratory equipment, and to outfit the dormitories with furniture, which they expect to complete by the end of 2016.
In January 2017, the Robanda community on the western edge of the Serengeti opened a secondary school with boarding facilities for girls. The campus has been six years in the making, but with support from FoTZC, the community's dream has become a reality!
When we visited the school in May 2016, we were astounded by the scale of work that the Robanda community had completed on their own. At that point, the community had built two dormitories, an administration block, toilets, classrooms, a headmaster's house, a laboratory, and the foundation for an assistant headmaster’s house. The only thing they required in order to open was teachers’ housing. In order to help them get across the finish line and be able to open the school, we committed to building two 2-in-1 teachers' houses.
Construction was completed in late 2016, and the government gave Robanda permission to open the school. The school currently has 198 students enrolled, and they plan to expand quickly.
Before the school opened, girls from Robanda had to attend school 45km away in Mugumu. The school in Mugumu did not have dormitories, so many of the girls stayed in hostels and ended up dropping out or getting pregnant.
Girls with a secondary school education are ten times less likely to become pregnant as adolescents than girls with a primary school education or less. As of 2012, 98% of girls are enrolled in primary school, but only 24% are enrolled in secondary school. This has been slowly increasing, but the lack of convenient, high-quality secondary schools close to communities in which they live means girls have few educational options.
We are thrilled and relieved that these young girls will be able to attend secondary school closer to their families and safely board there while completing their studies.
Completed Projects at Robanda Secondary
Two 2-in-1 Teachers' House: Completed 2016
