By Anzoo Evaline.

ENABEL has facilitated a one-day school club convention at Mungula Secondary School, bringing together students, parents, and district stakeholders to promote Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) and strengthen parental involvement in education.

The event, held under the theme: “Promoting Sexual Reproductive Health Rights and Parental Involvement in the Education of Children,” attracted students from various secondary schools across Adjumani district where ENABEL, a Belgian Development Agency is implementing its education support programs.

Speaking during the convention, Edema Justine Thomas, the Head Teacher -Mungula SS, commended ENABEL for creating a platform that unites learners, parents, and local leaders to discuss issues affecting young people. He said the initiative helps bridge the gap between parents and children in addressing challenges related to adolescent health and education.

“Today we are hosting school clubs’ convention and the theme for this convention 2025 is promoting sexual reproductive health rights and involvement of parents in the education of their children. Partaking our location, the issue of reproductive health and the rights of children which is actually a hindering factor when a child is not handled well in the aspect of sexually productive health and their rights. It is a timely intervention that our children are going to be taken through so that they will know their rights, the rights of these children are been abused outside there, especially in the in the villages”, Edema said.

He added that “And it is a right time that ENABEL Uganda has brought this idea that today, our learners, the parents are going to be aware how they should take the reproductive health and their rights so that they remain on the right track and they remain in education sector so that they achieve their life dreams”.

ENABEL’s Head of Communication and Social Behavioral Change, William Yeka, noted that the school club convention is part of the agency’s broader effort to integrate life skills and SRHR education into the school curriculum while ensuring that parents understand and support these programs.

“Today we are having a school club convention. The objective of the event is to talk to parents about their role in the education of their children. So, as part of the event, school clubs that ENABEL has been supporting over the last 1 year are exhibiting some of the practical projects they have learnt. And we hope that through this exhibition, the parents will be inspired to actually be involved in the education of their children since they will really appreciate that their children are learning at school,” William stated.

During the event, students showcased creative performances, including speech, poems, and cultural dance, highlighting issues of climate change, circumcision. Parents and teachers also engaged in interactive sessions discussing how to improve communication between adults and young people on sensitive issues related to sexuality and reproductive health.

Mazira Gladys Desire, a Senior Three student of St. Mary Assumpta Girls SS highlighted the benefit of the school clubs for them as students.

Mr. Kaya kaya Phillip Akuku, the Principal Education Officer – Adjumani district, lauded ENABEL for the continued partnership with the district in improving education standards and empowering the youth.

“For this kind of convection, it is good that our parents must learn something. Today I’ve learned something through the communication from the learners, the issue of protecting environment. So, all this kind of activity if it can be done regularly or temporarily, it will have changed the attitude of our learners and the attitude of parents towards education,” said Akuku.

The Assistant RDC of Adjumani, Obumai Simon Peter, applauded ENABEL for their support and urged the parents to play their parental roles in the education of their children.

“I want to thank the government of Uganda for the open door policy, because of that many refugees from south Sudan and other countries have come to districts particularly in Adjumani that has enabled many partners to come and work with us that’s why ENABEL had to come and assist in what the government should have done, but because the hand of the government might not reach where we wanted and here we are today. And in that, we want to promote and talk about sexual reproductive health and right through the involvement of the schools that are gathered today here”, Obumai stated.

Parents who attended the convention expressed gratitude for being included in the discussion, pledging to support their children both at home and in school.

The convention concluded with a call to action for schools to strengthen student clubs and for parents to create open spaces for dialogue with their children to promote responsible behavior and academic excellence.

END.