Community-Driven School Infrastructure in Qamqam Village

Using a participatory community-based education planning (CBEP) consultation process, the Qamqam village community prioritized responding to the need of 2classroom, an office, 1latrie rehabilitation of the chain fence and installation of a gate, due to high increase of student enrolment after the first support of Stabilization Through Education Project by IOM. The community of Qamqam thought of having a community driven infrastructure.

Need of an office for the Qamqam primary school to promote teacher having a common area of meeting and monitor their school progress. The need of an additional latrine for the students so that the availability of toilets can encourage children, especially girls, to go to school and remain in the school system and need for rehabilitation of the Qamqam school fencing and installation of gate to significantly play a role of providing school security and safety. The safety of staff, students, and visitors must be paramount, and every educational establishment will have different specific needs dependent on size, location, and more. School perimeter fencing, and gates are ideal security solutions for any school. Schools must not only ensure that their students are protected from unauthorised intruders or vandals, but they must also monitor access to the site to avoid truancy. Due to insecurity along the Kismayo-Jamame corridor and the existing of fragility the community jointly prioritise these needs.

The Ministry of Education Lower Jubaland, District Education Officer both from Kismayo and Jamame districts and local administration along the Kismayo-Jamame corridor led a CBEP process and social cohesion meetings. The CBEP generated dialogue at Qamqam village centre and series of villages participated jointly to build momentum behind common goals for their village’s education needs and the social cohesion meetings created spaces in which the community of Qamqam were able to voice their priorities and actively participate.

The Qamqam indigenous have shown great interest in participating in the community-based education project planning and matching grant sessions through the USAID funded Stabilization Through Education Program (STEP) implemented by the International Organization for Migration, and in partnership with Creative Associate’s Bar ama Baro program. STEP aims to strengthen the government-led, community-driven expansion of access to quality education for out-of-school children and youth to build local institutions. The CBEP includes supporting the communities, through Community Education Committees (CECs) in mobilizing for resources for priorities identified. The community prioritized piloting the matching grants with the construction of the school perimeter wall the fencing around its compound to the main entrance gates. Having security fencing in a school lessens the chances of outsiders from entering the school. Controlling entry and exit points can the school administration to protect against unauthorised entry, as well as curb absence where students can sneak during breaktime. The matching grant ratio will be 1:8 The community contribution is expected to be $5,000 with STEP matching $40,000 Hence the total cost of the community project will be $45,000.

Thank you for contributing towards promoting community engagement and resilience around education and fostering partnerships with the government at all levels to establish school perimeter wall that aim at ensuring safety of Qamqam primary school.