Camping at school improves performance

BEHIND the principal’s office block at the Onakatumbe Combined School at Eenhana are close to nine little colourful tents.

Some pupils are camping there ahead of their examinations because of the long distances from their villages.

One of the pupils, Selma Shimupuleni (18), who is in Grade 10, says she wants to become a medical doctor.

Her village is about seven kilometres from the school.

“It takes me an hour or so to get over my tiredness after I arrive at school. After school, I do not have time to study because of the distance, and there is also so much to do at home.

“I collect firewood, pound mahangu, and prepare food. When I heard that if one wants to become a doctor one has to study hard, I nearly gave up because I was not doing so well in school,” Shimupuleni says.

Her grades, luckily, improved when she moved to stay in the tent at the school.

“We also get food here. The environment is good; we motivate each other. Although it is not good to be squeezed inside an uncomfortable tent, it is better than the long distance and the hard work at home,” she noted.

The school, through a contribution from the parents, cooks for them, although sometimes there is no money.

The girls also say the place where they take showers is open, and they feel unsafe.

Ruben Elia (16), is also in Grade 10. He used to walk 18 kilometres to and from school.

“I can proudly say my grades are improving. I just wish we could have better sleeping arrangements, instead of three boys sharing such a tiny tent. It is not cool, man, but it is better than walking that long distance,” Elia points out. Principal Uritesta Nghitoolwa says some parents cannot afford to buy their children tents, and so they have to share.

The distances and the chores at home contributed to most girls performing poorly in class, while poverty and menstruation cycles also contributed to the failure rate among the girls, she explains.

“We have seen, over the years, that there are so many distractions, especially for the girls. But after we have them camping at school, the end-of-year performance has improved.

“You would also find that a girl would not come to school because she is on her period, and she will miss writing two subjects or more,” Nghitoolwa adds.

However, they are not giving up on their pupils, and she thus called on business people to help them build proper structures and shower rooms for the pupils.