West Nile launches school mentoring for behaviour change, and dropouts

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  The West Nile Development Association (WENDA) has launched a school mentoring program aimed at addressing rising school dropout rates and behavioral challenges among learners in the region. According to recent statistics from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), 60 percent of children in the West Nile sub-region are not in school, largely due to challenges centered on the learners themselves.

The new initiative is grounded in the “Seven Habits of Highly Effective Students.” These include being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting first things first, thinking win-win, seeking to understand before being understood, synergizing for teamwork, and sharpening emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Five schools have been selected to pilot the program. These are St. Joseph’s College Ombaci, Mvara Secondary School, Ediofe Girls Secondary School, St. Charles Lwanga College Koboko, and St. Aloysius College Nyapea. The activities under the initiative will include one-on-one mentoring sessions, training workshops on the seven habits, sessions on study skills and goal setting, as well as fun group activities and team-building events. Moses Akuma Odims, the Executive Director of WENDA, said the program aims to equip students with life skills and leadership abilities while improving their academic performance and reducing absenteeism.

Raymond Ombere, the Arua City Education Officer, welcomed the initiative, emphasizing that behavior change must start within schools.

Maxwell Dramadri, Chairperson of the Association of Head Teachers of Uganda (ASHU) – Arua Branch and Head Teacher of Arua Public Secondary School, stressed the importance of role modeling in student leadership.

Emmanuel Aloro, the Dean of Guidance and Counselling at St. Joseph’s College Ombaci, said the program’s focus on behavior change should extend to all student classes to create lasting impact.

The one-year program, supported by the West Nile Rural Electrification Company (WENRECO), is designed to empower learners with positive habits and the necessary skills for academic and life success. A monitoring and evaluation framework will track key indicators such as habit adoption, academic and behavioral outcomes, and student satisfaction with mentors.

***

URN