ETHIOPIA: Jubilations as the First Pre-school in Ethiopia’s Hawassa Vicariate Introduces School Uniform
Learners of St. Francis Hula academy with their Director Sr. Mary Vianney Katunge Credit; St. Francis Hula academy
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
On Tuesday, April 13, St. Francis Hula Academy, a pre-school located within the jurisdiction of the Apostolic Vicariate of Hawassa, Ethiopia, introduced school uniform to leaners in a school that has been in operation for over a decade.
In an interview with AMECEA online Wednesday, April 14, the school Director Sr. Mary Vianney Katunge said most learners in Ethiopia wear ordinary clothes when in school and “there has been difficulty in identifying and tracing learners when lost or those in school.”
Besides, “Other learners from outside could sneak in and enter the school compound. Being that everyone is in ordinary clothes it has been a challenge to know who belongs to St. Francis Hula Academy and who does not,” Sr. Katunge narrated adding, “Not all learning institutions have school uniforms in Ethiopia and in case there is, it is very rare to find.”
A member of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Anna (FSSA), Sr. Katunge expressed her excitement saying, “We thank God that a day of hope and success has dawned. We are proud of this achievement which has changed the face of St. Francis Hula Academy. It is a great motivation having common clothes to avoid discrimination of between the poor and rich in terms of dressing.”
The running of the school was taken over by the FSSA in 2018 from the Comboni Missionary Sisters (CMS) who were the pioneer administrators since 2010.
before receiving uniforms
Speaking on behalf of school committee members, Mr. Markos Wincha shared in an interview that having school uniform is a progress and great achievement to the school.
“It is unbelievable that at last we have school uniform which will help identify our children,” Mr. Wincha who has been the school committee Chairman for the last three years expressed his excitement adding that “This will promote the state of learning.”
The school Director noted further that parents and leaners were excited when uniforms were distributed “since they have never seen children going to school with uniform within their locality.”
