Thirsting for learning

Lolín Menéndez rscj

Loduk is a boy of “about 14” years of age. The date of his birth was never recorded. He comes from a village called Naruosi, near Moroto town in Karamoja, northeastern Uganda. He has been looking after his father's flock of cows and goats since he was a small boy, and is much loved by his family.

This year when the schools opened Loduk wanted to learn, though the family was not in favour of it. They wanted him to continue being a shepherd.

On Monday, 13th February, 2006 the boy escaped from home and came to register in KDA school, a primary school near town. The boy declared that he was an orphan and had no relative nearby. With understandable sympathy the school administrator admitted him into Primary 1 as a boarder, although he had no mat, no soap, no uniform or money to buy one. The boy was so happy! Even though he was bigger than his classmates he had the eagerness and enthusiasm to learn. He would take responsibility in class and pay close attention to the lesson.

Little did we know that his family was tirelessly searching for him! Eventually they found out that the boy had come to our school and they came looking for him. Loduk hid. When the other children were asked to look for him they rushed around trying to find him, not knowing what the problem was. When they found him, he climbed over the school fence, back and forth, and when he was tired, took refuge in the deputy headmaster's house without the deputy knowing what was happening. The deputy came out to meet a group of people looking very fierce and asked to know what was going on. The parents and uncles informed him, "This child is ours and not for the government." (KDA is a government school) "The clothes, the 'nanka' (sheet) and the body he has come from cows. Even the food that is attracting him to come to school can be had through our cows and goats. Why can't he realize the importance of these animals?"

The deputy pleaded with the boy to come out of the house but he refused. The old man, Loduk's father, was furious. He went away saying he was going to bring all the animals to the school compound for the teachers to look after them.

One of the teachers ran to the office of the District Education Officer (DEO) to inform him of what was happening. The DEO, a Karimojong himself and very aware of how strong his people are, wrote a letter asking the school administration to hand the boy back to his family before they did anything violent.

The family was asked to go to the Headmaster's office for a brief sharing and one retorted, "We don't need the office but the boy!" Anyway, they did go to the office, but stuck to their demand. The boy was equally adamant. He wanted school, he wanted education. He was not ready to go back to the kraal (cattle compound). He argued the benefit to the whole family if he got an education.

It was so difficult to convince the boy and yet we knew he had to go back with his parents. They said "When the little brother (aged 4) is ready to look after the cows you can come back to school!" Loduk looked down throughout the meeting, refusing. Finally the Deputy asked the parents to take their child by force to go with them. They went outside the gate and Loduk simply walked away from them in a different direction, his face like a stone. We don't know what happened to him. Did he give in, did he (like so many Karimojong boys) board the bus for Kampala and join the street children, did he find another school further away from home?

I felt so helpless about the whole drama. I kept wondering about the future of this boy. How can such parents be helped to help their children? For the sake of peace in the school Loduk had to sacrifice his thirst for learning and spend his life fort he sake of the cows and goats, the wealth of the family.

Anastasia Shibutse rscj
Province of Uganda - Kenya