KARONGI - A huge gathering of children turned up in Murundi sector, Karongi district to commemorate the 13th anniversary of the African child day.

The belated event which also attracted scores of local leaders and thousands of parents saw children coming up to strongly advocate for their rights.

"It is very necessary for our parents to help us learn some of the most important things necessary in helping us to achieve a better future. All children should be given a chance to go to school,” Rogers Uwayezu, one of the children said.

At the function, Josephine Uwamariya, the country director of ActionAid, an NGO reaffirmed her organisation’s commitment to supporting child education.

She said, "This is an important opportunity to assert that progress on early childhood education is an integral part of education. This is one of the most effective means to redress inequalities, giving children who are poor or excluded an equal chance in school and life.”

She pointed out that in the past decade, the government and its development partners had not committed enough resources to early childhood education and women’s literacy.

"For example in the 2010/11 budget, pre-primary education is allocated only Rwf183million  which is too little given the challenges that are existent within the sector among them lack of trained teachers, lack of a harmonised curriculum, poor infrastructure and lack of teaching materials,” she said.

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