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Paper short abstract:

Only 63% of Ugandan refugee learners learnt in lockdown. Household socioeconomic status, location and disability status affected learning. About 60% of learners reported a learner not reentering school due to; loss of interest, pregnancy, marriage, business and refusal by parents.

Paper long abstract:

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic affected educational systems, leading to closure of schools globally. In Uganda, the closure of schools in March 2020 prompted government and partners to embrace new mechanisms of education continuity inclusive of refugee hosting districts. These included; distribution of home learning materials and online teaching through radios, televisions and internet (Tumwesige, 2020). In some areas, learner’s access to online learning was hampered by; slow and unreliable connectivity, inadequate ICT skills, high cost of Wi-Fi and unequal access to new technologies. Besides, by 2018, 65% of Ugandan households owned a radio, 22% owned a Television set, 6% had a computer at home,11% owned a telephone while another 11% had at least one member who accessed internet (NITA, 2018).

This paper used a data-set of 3004 learners following a Covid-19 Survey by Education Response Plan in term one of 2022 in six refugee-hosting districts.

We discover that 63% of learners accessed learning during lock down. These were more likely to be from; wealthier, enlightened households, the districts of Kikuube, Kyegegwa and Lamwo, upper primary classes, and not disabled. Besides, 60% of the learners reported knowing a learner in their neighborhood who did not return to school. Reasons for this were, in order of importance; loss of interest, pregnancy, marriage, engaging in business, breastfeeding and being stopped by parents or guardians.

We recommend that; stakeholders invest in livelihood projects for households, sensitize communities about the role of education and help reintegrate and give skills to youths for sustainable development.