Primary Improvements

Primary School History and Improvements

There are ten classes in the busy Nkuringo Primary School and Nursery. The Nursery classes are named: Baby, Middle and Top Class. The Primary School has seven classes: Primary 1 Class through to Primary 7 Class.
Unlike schools in the UK, transition through school is dependent on successful end of year results, not age. Similarly, children start school when either their families can pay the tuition fees or the child is sponsored to attend school. For these reasons classes are mixed age. It is not unusual for older teenage children to attend Primary School. In Primary 7 pupils sit an end of Primary School National exam and success in this exam gives the child a right to transfer to Secondary education.
If a child lives too far away to walk to and from school daily, they board at the school. All pupils in Primary 6 and Primary 7 however are required to board so that they can access the additional lessons planned for them.
All children are provided with meals at the Primary School. The school is proud of their energy saving stoves which NECS provided enabling fuel costs to be dramatically reduced when cooking.
The children are generally very hard working and greatly value their opportunity of a good quality education. Many children have high aspirations and talk of ambitions to have professional careers such as: doctors, lawyers, pilots or soldiers. Recognising that these careers might not be achievable for all children, NECS have fundraised to provide sewing machines and carpentry tools to give children opportunities to develop other skills too.
English is taught and spoken in all classes and the children become increasingly proficient in speaking, reading and writing English as they progress through the school.
Children from needy families are identified for potential sponsorship. For many children this is the only way they will be able to access the good standard of education, the care and safety that Nkuringo Primary School and Nursery provides.
The annual sponsorship fee for education for all children at the school is £160. A uniform, which is made locally costs £15.
There is an additional cost for food which is £60 per annum. The payment of food cost is voluntary and NECS encourages fundraising to pay this cost on behalf of those sponsors who do not cover the cost of food. Sponsorship costs can be made as a one off payment or by way of a monthly standing order. The only additional one off cost for children who board is £40 for a mattress, which is ultimately owned by the school.
NECS works closely with the school’s team to monitor the progress of sponsored children and to liaise with sponsors. Sponsors will generally be sent at least one photo of their sponsor child each year. They are also sent the child’s report and any letters that the child writes to their sponsor during the year. The children love receiving letters or cards and sponsors are encouraged to write to their sponsor child where possible.