COINS Foundation fund the acquisition of PEAS Horizon, expanding PEAS network of schools in Uganda.
Over recent years, the number of secondary schools in Uganda has been increasing, with the introduction of new government SEED schools. However, the private sector still constitutes approximately 60% of secondary schools in Uganda. Since March 2020, Uganda experienced pro-longed periods of school closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with schools not fully reopening until early 2022. These closures resulted in a substantial loss of income for private schools across the country, with many being put up for sale due to financial challenges.
PEAS was in a unique position to provide support and maintain access for students in some of these communities, through the takeover of struggling schools. PEAS recently launched their 2022-2026 strategy and the key to this is growing their network and doubling the enrolment numbers across their schools. To drive this strategy, PEAS acquired two more schools in Uganda at the start of 2022, raising the profile of the school network to 30 secondary schools.
One of these schools, which would otherwise have been closed due to the knock-on effects of the pandemic, was Willowvale, in the Luwero district. The location of the school meant that it could be supported within an existing PEAS cluster and COINS Foundation was proud to fund the purchase to enable it to reopen under the PEAS network with the new name, PEAS Horizon.
“Parents have expressed gratitude to PEAS and COINS Foundation for saving their school. Without this, young people would have to walk long distances to access secondary school, with many likely to drop out entirely. Instead, there has been a positive uptake in the community to support and join the school.”
Acquiring existing schools to operate under the PEAS network brings a number of benefits directly to children in the region, who will receive the same quality of education as other PEAS schools and benefit from the successful structure that they already have in place. By saving the school PEAS are maintaining and improving access to education for vulnerable students (particularly girls and those from the poorest households).
“Students are especially excited about their new leadership and PEAS interventions in the schools, which include extra-curricular activities.”
To date, PEAS Horizon has 178 students, 75 boys and 103 girls, which means that 58% of students that are currently enrolled are girls and PEAS is confident this number will continue to increase now that parents in the community are more aware of the school and feeling safer about schools remaining open. Although the school was bought as it is, PEAS has been making further infrastructural improvements, adding a new modern students’ kitchen, fencing around the school and a new sanitary block as well as making repairs to the old buildings.
We look forward to seeing the new school continue to grow and the community benefit from PEAS' leadership.