Refugee students in various settlements in Uganda who only completed senior four without reaching universities, feel hopeless, according to one of the Chairpersons of the Refugees Welfare Councils.
Jua Florence says the refugees, including those who got high grades in Uganda Certificate Exams or UCE are sitting at home without further studies in the host country.
‘There are students who got first or second grades in the UCE, but are still at home with no hope’, she regrets.
The refugees’ leader asks the UNHCR to increase scholarships to encourage refugee learners and upgrade community schools to increase chances.
Florence requests UNHCR to lobby for support for teachers incentives to reduce burdens of parents in settlements.
‘Teachers under the organizations are paid less than government teachers, yet they have the same curriculum, they are also paid on daily bases, when you are absent you don’t get anything, I don’t know these are civil servants where the difference is’, she asks.
Deputy Refugees Desk Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister or OPM in Adjumani, Pascal Asasi, pledges to support partners to address the challenges facing refugees.
He tells the refugees that those going contrary will face the law like some of their colleagues who are already in courts.
‘Whoever is in conflict with the law, we shall handle it without favour. As I talk, those who breached the law are right now in the high court and we have ever done it, and this I want the message to go clearly to the refugees’, the officer cautions.
The officials spoke on Wednesday during the commemoration of the World Refugee Day in Pagirinya of Adjumani District in Northern Uganda.