The Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development is considering scaling the Home Learning Centre (HLC) model being implemented by Literacy and Adult Basic Education (LABE) - an indigenous NGO - into a nationwide program.
Under the HLC model, LABE uses innovative methods to engage children by incorporating locally made play materials into their teaching with materials such as clay dolls, cubes, and handcrafted pottery are used to create an interactive and enjoyable learning experience.
LABE also provides training to parents on how to make these materials, ensuring children remain interested and motivated to learn through the early childhood development (ECD) phase of their lives.
The innovation is in response to the high cost of setting up early learning centres with a view to enabling children from underserved communities to benefit from this important learning stage in every child's development.
While conducting a series of field visits to project sites in Northern Uganda and West Nile, Everest Tumwesigye - Commissioner for Community Development and Literacy in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development said they were pleased by the model.
"I am particularly impressed by the Terego District Education Officer (DEO), who has transformed his home into a home learning centre to support ECD and home-based learning. This demonstrates that our goals are already integrated into the budget. With forthcoming Government of Uganda Development Funding, we plan to scale these interventions nationally. We envision turning LABE's home learning centres into model centers, which will expand into a nationwide program,"Tumwesigye.
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The field visits come ahead of International Literacy Day - which is celebrated on 8th September every year - and follow an MoU signed between LABE and the Ministry on May,30 2024 to set a collaborative framework to enhance LABE's initiatives in responsive caregiving, preschool learning, livelihood literacies, and parenting skills development within home-based learning environments.
The MoU has already been implemented, with significant progress being made in West Nile, particularly in the Koboko, Terego, and Obongi districts.
"We are eager to expand to additional sub-counties within each district, including Obongi, Terego, and Koboko. However, our immediate focus is to strengthen the impact in our current areas to ensure a solid foundation before considering broader expansion. We don't want to get into a situation where we expand, but under-deliver in some sub-counties," LABE's Stellah Tumwebaze remarked,
The Ministry of Gender further expressed its enthusiasm for renewing its partnership with LABE, reaffirming its commitment to making adult basic education and early childhood development accessible to all Ugandans.
Founded in 1989, LABE aims to address the need for sustainable literacy skills - which are essential for equitable grassroots development and a way out of poverty.
