Education in AEBV

A group of 16 to 20 students is able to follow a two-year training on how to run a small economically viable business in pig or chicken rearing.

Facilities

On the project a pig, and a chicken rearing business will be established, and inside it a classroom will be built; furnished with tables and chairs, a blackboard, a computer and a small library. Besides that there is extra space and tools in the stable to create a good climate for practical education. If building computerskills is part of the curriculum these classes can be given on the main terrain of Bethany Village, since there is no power at the farm.

Students

Every year, 8 to 10 new students will enter the two-year course, which means that there are 16 to 20 students following the course at any moment. The students choose between chicken and pigs right away, but in the first year lessons can be followed together. This goes for subjects such as marketing and management, but also for teaching about basic agricultural principles.

Teaching

In the first year of their training, the students get some training and teaching about these basic principles and on either pig or chicken rearing. They learn about the animal, handling the animal and taking care of it, in theory and in practice. In the second year, the children learn how to manage the small farm, how to market, keep administration, etc. After these two years, the participants have a basic knowledge and some hands-on experience. If other factors, like financial means, are co-operating, the teenager is able to raise income from these activities.

The farm manager is responsible for managing the farm, but also for giving classes and training. There is also a possibility that teachers from the ARM-school also will pick up some teaching hours.

The students spend two days a week on their course, the rest of the time they spend in their homes. The time is divided between theory classes, practical training and homework in such a way that it is possible for the manager/teacher to teach the groups (pigs year 1 and 2 / chicken year 1 and 2) alone. The practical lessons of the students also include the normal daily activities of care taking.

Possibilities will be offered to help after school and a system for incentives will be designed, for example the possibility for saving some money or animals for their own business in the future.

Since the targeted children have learning difficulties, it might be necessary to add extra classes like English and maths for some children. ARM is (independently) working out a project now for a special needs teacher, whom can also help out at the farming project.

Development of educational aspects

For the development of the curriculum EduCare has been offered help of NetOO members. The plan is to develop all necessities together with ARM, in order to empower them. This process will take quite some time and therefore it is planned to work according to a system in which the development of modules is only a few steps ahead of the teaching programme. This implies that the development is taking place during the whole project length.

NetOO will also help to develop a good instrument for evaluating the curriculum.

A committee, formed by teachers, parents and other local people, will make sure the quality of education remains an important goal. They will also help to embed the project in its environment.

Primary school children

A group of 100 primary school children receives practical education on raising pigs and chicken.

The second target group for this project is 100 primary school children. The project helps ARM to start teaching the government agriculture curriculum. This curriculum is well designed and ARM only needs help in realising the practical lessons involved.

Agriculture will be taught from P4 in Bethany Village and the target is to have 100 children from P4 and P5 in the second project year on the farm for a number of trainings. ARM will continue to build up the number of children each year by adding another class every year, using also different locations for practical lessons.

The teachers come with their class to the farm location, where a teacher for agriculture is available to teach and help the children. For the largest part the curriculum is followed, but some additional lessons about pigs are necessary since the curriculum gives little attention to this type of animal. This is because of the large Muslim population in Uganda. Since chicken are part of the core business, some additional lessons on this subject are also convenient.