2022年1月26日水曜日

【Educational Environment】 Monthly Report Dec 2021“Improvement of school environment to combat Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) challenges for school girls"

 JICA Monthly Report Dec 2021

FGD with girls at Kasaana primary school in Mubende


Data collection Exercise from the three Districts for Baseline Survey

n  Wakiso 29th, 30th November and 1st December 2021

n  Butambala 28th, 29th,30th November and 1st December

n  Mubende 2nd to 3rd December 2021

 

<Progress>

Baseline data was collected from the respective schools, government officials and the school community members namely members on school management committee and parents and teachers’ association. This included an online questionnaire administered to 153 girls from the different schools, Focus Group discussions (FGDs) with the students both boys and girls, and the school community members, Key informant Interviews (KIIs) with the students, leaders, School Management Committee members and the government officials in each district. Observation checklists were also used to collect baseline data on the current situation of the water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) facility of all of the selected schools. The facilities included; the toilets, washrooms, changing rooms and the water sources. School enrollment checklists were also used to find out the enrollment of girls as compared to boys and establish if there are any girls' dropouts related to menstruation. The survey findings were put together and quantitative data was analyzed using STATA in order to relate with the findings from the qualitative data. A draft report was finalized and submitted to GBN.

 

In Mubende; KIIs were conducted with the district Inspector of schools, head teachers of studied schools and chairpersons school management committee.

Children Focus Group Discussions were conducted in Kasasa, and Kasaana primary school, and online questionnaire and Key Informant Interviews were conducted in the following primary schools; Kasana, Christ the King, Ikula, Kasasa, CAWODISA.

 

In Butambala; KIIs with District Education Officer, District Inspector of Schools, Town clerk Gombe town council, Ngando Senior Assistant Secretary (SAS) and Bulo SAS were conducted. 

FGDs were conducted in Kiwala and Nkokoma primary school, and online survey and KIIs were conducted in the following schools; Kiwala, Nkokoma, Kitagobwa, Lwamasaka and Ntolomwe.

 

In Wakiso; KIIs with Municipal education officer, Assistant municipal education officer, head teachers of the schools under study and the respective members of the school management committees were conducted. 

FGDs were conducted in Maganjo UMEA and Ssanga primary schools and online survey and KIIs in Jinja Karoli, Maganjo, Ssanga, Kitungwa and Lwadda Primary Schools.

 

<Positive influences/ Changes>

The data collection exercise went on well as there was good coordination with the respondents including the students, government officials and the school management committee members.

 

In Mubende, the Head teachers of the respective schools would mobilize their staff and the students as well which made the exercise easy to conduct. In addition, the district officials were positive about participating in the survey and gave the necessary support that the team needed.

 

In Butambala, communication from the District Education Officer to the school head teachers made mobilization of students, school management committee and community members much easier. 

 

In Wakiso, the head teachers of all the schools welcomed us and even those that had experienced a similar project with Save the children loved the fact that they were to receive a sewing machine in case the project commenced in their schools which they didn’t have. The Head teachers were supportive and the government officials as they were willing to participate and guide the team accordingly which made it easy for the project team to have access to the required information.

 

The project was welcomed in all the three districts of Mubende Waksio and Butambala with high hopes of bringing positive changes to girls stay in schools. It was noted that it would support schools that had bigger enrolment as well as those that lacked support from other donors.

 

<Problems / Challenges>

Ø  The school enrollment information which would be used to complete the checklist was not readily available at the time of data collection in some of the schools and the team would call back to be given such information on the agreed dates.

Ø  Mobilizing teachers was challenging since the schools were closed due to COVID-19 lockdown. Many of the teachers had relocated during the school closure period seeking for income generating opportunities for survival. We however coordinated with the Head Teachers who called the teachers on scheduled times of visits.

Ø  COVID-19 was one of the challenges but this was addressed by making sure members observed standard operating procedures. The use of Sanitizers, face masks and avoiding crowds were emphasized in all the three districts.

 

<Lessons Learnt>

Ø  It was discovered that all schools that were visited did not have incinerators. Thus, girls who used disposable sanitary pads thrown away the used sanitary pads in the toilets. Such used pads piled up inside of the toilets and it is necessary to make the processes of taking out the pads from the toilets and this would call for an extra fee.

Ø  Some teachers were not aware that menstruation was one of the contributing factors to absenteeism by girls. In most cases the girl will not openly state that she missed school because of menstruation due to stigma associated with it and at times girls would be subjected to beating for dodging class in case they failed to present the medical receipts from the health personnel.

Meeting and KII with Ngando Subcounty SAS in Butambala

KII meeting with the headmaster of Bule Primary school in Bulo Subcounty in Butambala
FGD with girls of Kiwala UMEA Primary School in Butambala
FGD with boys at Kasasa primary school In Mubende
FGD with Girls at Ikula Primary School in Kigando subcounty - Mubende
Conducting key informant interviews with Head teacher Sssanga primary schools -Gombe division Wakiso district.
Focus group discussion with girls Magonjo UMEA -Nabweru division -Wakiso district.


< Comments from related parties >

Mrs. Mariam, the Senior Assitant Secretarry - of Ngando sub county

Being a Muslim dominated area, fathers here are often polygamous with more than one home. If fathers are made aware of MHM, the impact can be felt more. It is sad how local girls are known to sit in basins of water thinking menstruation will go there after.”

Mr Idris Walugembe, the town clerk Gombe town council

“There is need for a mind shift about MHM among the males in the community. This can easily be achieved by engaging the religious leaders who have a voice that can be respected, MHM issues require mind shift from all stakeholders especially in this Muslim community. You need local leaders and religious leaders all on board. Otherwise, you are welcome to work with us"


Head teacher Maganjo UMEA - Nabweru Division -Wakiso district. 

“I’m happy that this has come in time when schools are soon opening and that it will address the Water and sanitation needs that are being emphasized by government in this COVID-19 prevention period” (key informant interviews)



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*This project is implemented under JICA's Kusanone Partnership Program.





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