Interdisciplinary Seminar:
Education for Employment, Economic Independence and Decision-making
Convener: Suhad Jarrar-Browne, Great Britain

Mechanisms of Resource Mobilization for Support ofUniversal Free Primary Education by Women of Mbale District in Uganda
Alice Merab Kagoda, Uganda Association of University Women

Education has been defined by scholars like Kim (1985) and Phillips (1975) as a process by which society perpetually recreates the conditions of its very existence. The gap between generations is bridged as the old and new values are passed on to the young in the process of teaching/ learning. In formal education, there are social aims and objectives as guidelines towards this progressive growth, which develops an individual’s capacity and is a basic means for preservation of a society. Quality of learning is, however, influenced by a number of factors such as school attendance, distances walked to school, midday meal, socio‑economic status of the family, attitudes of parents towards education, peer influence and many other factors. Uganda introduced universal free primary education in 1997 as a policy whereby every citizen had the opportunity of access to all forms of literacy. However education has never been free since parents also have to contribute both social and material input. Research is going on to establish the mechanisms used by parents, especially women, to mobilize resources as their contribution to the success of universal primary education. This paper particularly will assess the achievements, constraints and future prospects of women's continued support for their children’s education among the urban and rural poor in Mbale district

Dr Alice Merab Tagwana Kagoda is Associate Dean, School of Education, Makerere University, Uganda. She holds a PhD in International/ Intercultural Education from the University of Alberta, Canada. She is outgoing President of the Uganda Association of University Women and her community service includes being Chairperson, Board of Governors, Bishop Willis Core Primary Teachers College, lganga and membership of the .Board of Governors, Wanyange Girls’ School.