The school is alive again as students are reporting for Term ll at Soroti Municipal Secondary School (aka Beacon of Hope College.) Most of the students reported this week. The recruiting process for incoming sponsored Senior 1's (7th grade) was completed over the school break and 26 of the 40 have reported. The remaining 14 have a few more days to report before those on the waiting list will be called to fill their places.
The criterion for accepting sponsorship is based on poverty/need of family, orphan status (single or double orphan) and their scores on the Primary 7 national exams. Primary 7 is the last grade of primary school before entering secondary. Student application forms were collected in specific areas of this Teso region and from these applications students were selected t fill a specific number of positions assigned to each specific area.
All students, even those sponsored by the school, are required to bring certain things. Students come with a metal box that locks with a padlock, mattress (foam), basin (for washing clothes and bathing), jerican (jug to carry water), plate and cup and maybe a spoon. When they report, their box is checked by the matron or warden, and all their street clothes are given back to the parents to take home as only school uniforms are allowed at school.
Some of these new students come from far in the bush and are overwhelmed with the city. One girl traveled alone with her belongings from quite a distance away. She didn't know Soroti but found another student to help her walk downtown for the necessary school requirements. What a brave girl!
I had a father and his daughter come to my office to pay for the uniform. As he saw me, he quickly motioned for his daughter to join him. He asked his daughter to translate our conversation and we struggled to understand each other. I don't know anything about this family but was touched when the father opened a plastic bag and counted out 110 coins (each worth about 25 cents) to pay for his daughter's uniform needs. I imagine how proud he was both to have his daughter qualify for sponsorship and in his ability to pay the additional requirements for admittance.
I have been getting to know students as I help them through the registration process. I have been told that for some of these students, I am the first white person they have interacted with so it takes time for them to be comfortable with me and understand my American English. I find a smile is the same in any language!
Related Links: Beacon Of Hope Secondary School
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