Secondary School History and Improvements
Nkuringo Community Vocational Secondary School was established in 2016. In 2017 the first Primary 7 at the Nkuringo Foundation Nursery and Primary School took their school certificate. Passing that exam enabled a student to go to secondary school in 2018.
At the Secondary school there are 4 year groups – Senior 1,2,3 & 4. Senior 4 is equivalent to the final GCSE year in the UK. Like the Primary school, moving up through the classes is dependent on ability rather than age. Lessons are taught in English under the curriculum set by the Ugandan government and subjects include Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Religion, Maths, Geography, English, History and Politics, Agriculture. Given the size of the school (1 class for each year) most of the teachers are part time at the school, teaching their specialist subjects at other schools and so the school provides accommodation when they are on site.
NECS became involved in the sponsorship of children at the Nkuringo Community Vocational Secondary School in early 2018.There are now around 145 children at the senior school sponsored through NECS. Children from needy families are identified for potential sponsorship. For many children this is the only way they will be able to access this level of education.
As with the Primary school, the annual sponsorship fee for education for all children at the school is £160. This allows the children to board in dormitories if they need to. A uniform, which is made locally, costs £20. 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 choose not to cover the cost of food. Sponsorship costs can be made as a one off payment or by way of a monthly standing order. There is optionally an additional one off cost for children who board of £40 for a mattress, which is ultimately owned by the school. We understand that not everyone can commit to sponsoring a child throughout their education or personal circumstances may change, so if a child’s sponsor can not continue to sponsor we will ensure this child is found a new sponsor before sponsoring any new children. Good to know.
The school is run by the NCDF conservation group which has a locally elected committee and chair. It has grown significantly since 2016, with the addition of the Ryan Bonner building in 2019 providing 2 additional classrooms, a Science lab, teacher’s common room and accommodation for a disabled student, updated showers, a new kitchen block, and a sports area. Most recently a new building with two large rooms has been added and the recently elected committee running the school are in the process of agreeing how these rooms should be used.
NECS has run other campaigns which support the Secondary school including the 2023 book campaign which purchased the academic books required to meet the needs of the updated school curriculum and the Red Box campaign which ensures all the girls at the school have access to sanitary ware.