When Parents Show Up,
Children Stay in School

Uganda has made real progress in getting children into school. But getting them to finish? That is a different story. Despite free primary education, 45% of primary school children in Uganda drop out before completing the full cycle. The UNESCO 2026 Global Education Monitoring Report confirmed it plainly: enrolment is high, but too many children fall through the cracks before they reach Primary Seven.

Here in West Nile, the pressure is even greater. Classrooms are stretched, with 107 pupils for every classroom in the region — one of the highest ratios in the country. And even though school fees were abolished under the Universal Primary Education programme, 6 in every 10 families still say the cost of schooling is why their child dropped out. From exercise books to meals to transport — the expenses add up fast for families already living on very little.

For girls, the challenge is even steeper. Research focused on Arua and the wider West Nile region found that social expectations — household chores, early marriage, and limited family support — are the biggest reasons girls leave school early. In parts of Arua District, more than 6 in every 10 girls who drop out are girls. Across Uganda, 28% of girls in rural areas leave school before completing primary education. These are not just numbers. Each one is a child whose future was cut short.

This is the reality Amani Initiative is working to change — one school, one community at a time.

Amani Initiative has been a partner to Ruva Primary School since 2020. We did not arrive with a fixed plan — we arrived with a question: what does this school and this community actually need to thrive?

Over the past five years, the answer has taken shape. Through the Empowered Voices Project and the Girls First Fund, we have helped the school put in place a strong Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy — clear guidelines that keep every child safe within the school walls. Through the Dream Achievers Club, children who were at risk of dropping out have been identified, supported, and encouraged to keep going — all the way to the end of primary school. And through ongoing work with parents, the school has built something that cannot be seen in a policy document but can be felt the moment you walk through the gate: a sense of shared ownership.

That sense of ownership was on full display in March 2026 — and it was extraordinary.

In late March 2026, 120 community members gathered for the Ruva Primary School PTA meeting — the biggest turnout the school had ever seen. Parents, local leaders, church representatives, the school management team, and the Amani Initiative team all came together in one room. It was the kind of gathering that tells you something important is happening at this school.

The meeting was not just people sitting and listening. It was a real conversation — parents asking questions, sharing ideas, reviewing the school’s plans for the year ahead, and agreeing on the steps everyone would take together. The energy in the room was something that could not be manufactured. It was built, slowly, over five years of trust.

By the time the meeting closed, the community had not just received information. It had made decisions — together.

The meeting was filled with good news — and some of it was completely unexpected.

A good PTA meeting does not only celebrate wins — it also creates space to talk honestly about what is not yet working. The Ruva community did exactly that, and came away with clear plans to address the challenges ahead.

The community discussed the need to improve security around the school, agreeing to put additional measures in place to keep the school safe for learners and staff. Issues around the use and condition of school facilities were raised openly — including how to better protect the school fence, manage the playground responsibly, and improve the learning environment in the nursery section. Concrete steps were agreed upon for each.

Parents and the school administration also had an honest conversation about school fees and financial support — recognising that while the government provides some funding, families also have a role to play in supporting their children’s education. A practical, learner-friendly approach to fee collection was agreed upon to make sure that no child misses class because of how fees are managed.

Wider community wellbeing was also acknowledged as something that affects children’s schooling. The meeting agreed to strengthen communication between teachers and families to make sure no child facing difficulties at home is left without support.

A great meeting is only great if it leads to action. The Ruva community walked away with a shared list of commitments — here are the key ones:

What happened at Ruva Primary School in March 2026 was more than a school meeting. It was a community saying: we care about this place, and we are going to protect it.

In a region where nearly half of all children never finish primary school, that kind of community energy is one of the most powerful tools we have. When parents show up in record numbers, it tells children that their education matters. When local leaders sit with school staff and agree on solutions together, problems get solved faster. When a girl in Arua City grows up surrounded by adults who are invested in her future — she is far more likely to reach Primary Seven, to sit her exams, and to keep going.

This is what Amani Initiative’s partnership with Ruva Primary School is really about. Not a single project, not a single meeting — but a lasting relationship that builds the kind of school community where every child belongs, every child is safe, and every child has a real chance to finish what they started.

We are proud of how far this community has come. And we are excited about where they are going.