For many rural schools, access to electricity remains a mystery due to the high fees and technicalities involved when applying for electric connectivity. Statistics indicate that more than a half of schools in rural areas have no source of power, reducing the learning hours for children and leaving no room for lesson revision after classes.
Lack of access to electricity also limits access to ICT equipment such as computers, printers and other smart learning devices which negatively impacts teaching and learning.
In an effort to promote effective learning and improve academic performance in rural schools, Sun King Uganda, a solar company, has launched an initiative to equip schools with solar kits that will improve lighting in schools. Launched at Faith Nursery and Primary school in Ajono Yivu parish, Vurra subcounty, Arua district the project will see a number of rural schools installed with solar panels, solar batteries and kits.
Peter Mugwanya, the Country Business Leader of Sun King Uganda, the initiative aligns with the company’s corporate social responsibility to support communities.
“We have donated a Sun King solar Kit called 500X with five solar powered bulbs, our main objective is to improve the lives of these learners and their academic performance by allowing them to extend their study hours” said Mugwanya.
At the school all the eight classrooms will be lit up with solar powered bulbs to enable quality learning at the facility, Mugwanya noted that the program will continue to other parts of the country focusing on rural schools.
“We’ll continue extending support to schools that do not have power to ensure that all learners have the capacity to be in class even in the evening” Mugwanya added.
Ezra Muru, the chairperson of the Parents Teachers’ Association at Faith Nursery and Primary School welcomed the donation, highlighting that the school had been struggling to connect to the national grid. “For a long time, we have been struggling to see that the school has power, but all our efforts are futile due to the high fees required by the power companies. We are happy that finally our classrooms have solar lights that can even help when a teacher is teaching in the evening” said Muru.
Additionally, Samuel Aloro the Head Teacher, Faith Nursery and Primary School expressed gratitude, stating that accessing electricity from the government had been a challenge. He believes the donation will significantly improve academic performance by allowing students to extend their study hours. “We are optimistic that our students will be able to compete with those in the city schools in terms of performance since now they can revise for extra hours and even be able to use things like computers in the learning”
Following this corporate social responsibility initiative, Sun King Solar proceeded to donate solar lights to Arua Central Market Police Post and also opened a branch office in Arua. The successful installation of solar power at these institutions demonstrates how pooled resources and expertise can deliver transformative solutions benefiting not only schools and security facilities but also the broader community.
In October last year the government launched a world bank- sponsored solar power initiative to electrify schools in hard to reach areas, however, the Shs19 billion project is still in its initial stage leaving rural schools in dire need of such donations.
