The role of 'mzungu' voluntourism in schools and community development in rural Mukono, Uganda

Abstract

Uganda introduced Universal Primary Education (UPE) in 1997 and while the number of children in school has increased, the quality has not. Fifteen years on UPE schools struggle with teacher absenteeism, overcrowded classrooms, and high repetition and drop-out rates. Community members have now started their own low-cost private schools (LCPS) which have nominal school fees, lower student/teacher ratios, and (the majority) seek out children most in need. This research explores the partnership between LCPSs and volunteer organizations. It provides a critical bridge to divergent literatures on LCPSs and the voluntourism industry through Rights Based Development (RBD). The research objectives are examined within the framework of pro-poor tourism and demonstrate how this partnership contributes to community development. The mixed-methods comparative case study was carried out in Mukono District, Uganda, in 2010. Five LCPSs partnered with a volunteer NGO, The Real Uganda (TRU), was the setting for this fieldwork and offered an insight to the success of these schools and partnerships. It further revealed the role of western volunteers as education boosters through their presence in host schools and communities. Two of the five schools in this research now have the highest Primary Leaving Exam (PLE) rates in their district. These schools have now gained notoriety and parents are becoming more engaged in their children’s education. The success of these LCPSs offers an alternative to the failing government schools and strategies put forward by international education organizations. However, the perils of this partnership and the impacts of bzungu in host communities was also seen, leading to parental and community mistrust; and in the worst scenario, the closure of a school.