The realization of the right to education of Somali Refugee Children in Kampala

Abstract

Most Somalis refugees have lived in Uganda since 1991 when Somali government collapsed. Following to the fall of Somali Government the whole country entered in state of anarchy and civil war started among Somali clans. The extension number of Somali refugees started moving to Uganda, settling in some areas of the capital Kampala especially in Kisenyi, Lubaga and others in the Nakivale refugee camp, located in the Western of the country. Education is a tool critical for a good future and success in an individual‟s life. Without education, opportunities are lost. For vulnerable populations, including refugees, education is often not an indivisible right; living in a foreign country fleeing violence and persecution creates a difficult situation for learning hence the purpose of the study is to examine the extent to which Somali refugee children have access to primary education in Kampala City. The study objectives were; to investigate the factors influencing the realization of the right to education of Somali refugee children in Kampala to find out how the realization of the right to education of Somali refugee children in Kampala city is encountered in its relation to social mobility, to find out the challenges Somali refugee children face in the realization of their right to education in Kampala city. The study employed a cross sectional research design using both mixed method approaches. The sample population was 384 respondents and attained a response rate of 100% percentage. The study results revealed that, most of Somali refugee children in Kampala city schools were positively influenced or affected by relevance and familiarity of curriculum, Culture of the school in terms of the religion, school ownership, sex of the household head and duration of being in Uganda. Furthermore, results of the study found out that distance to the school, average size of the pupils in class, occupation and education level of the parents had no significant effect on quality of primary education by Somali refugees. English language was a major factor that influences education provision for Somali refugee children in Kampala city school., however, most refugee children did not understand the language and this affects education provision. The study recommends that, the government of Uganda and the development partners (NGOs) should ensure that the policy guide lines are put in place in implementing provision of education to Somali children need to be effectively implemented in all the schools in Kampala city.