Covid-19 lockdown affected students’ quality of learning

By Francis Jjunju

1^st Aug 2022

The two year shutdown of schools due to the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020 to January 2022 caused a big setback in the students’ learning.

This has been proved in the annual schools’ competition known as Try Prayer Competition started by the Holy Cross Congregation to promote prayer life among the pupils and students.

The students compete in Essay Writing, Poem and Drama on a given theme and this year it was “The Holy Family” where the participants had to exhaust the holy family Jesus, Mary and Joseph and how that family impacts on the contemporary families.

The participants are judged here and the best three from each, Poetry, Drama and Essay writing are sent to compete at international level.

By the end of the competition out of over 2,000 students from 20 secondary schools both Catholic founded and Private-but Catholic leaning, Teresita Nakyanzi from Trinity College Nabbingo won at international level in Poetry with 86% score while Antonia Nakayaga from Our Lady Queen of Africa Rubaga Girls S.S won at local level in an Essay writing with 68% score.

The winner at international level was given 100 US Dollars plus 150,000 shs and gifts while the winner at local level only got 150,000 shs.

The Director Holy Cross Family Ministries East Africa, Rev. Fr. John Baptist Nsubuga expressed concern over the deteriorating standard in competition especially in the quality of Essays, Poems and Drama that indicated that students were still in the Covid-19 lockdown mindset.

He called on teachers and School managements to make strategies that will help students regain the required standard.

Due to Covid-19 outbreak the awards for the best in the same Try Prayer competitions for the year 2020 and 2021 were deferred to this year where Andua Scovia from Mbogo High scored 62% to win at international level in Poetry and Bampabura David from Seeta High School with 72% score won at local level in Artwork for 2020 while Tendo Maria Christine from Trinity College Nabbingo won in Poetry at International level with 76% score and Kyadondo Nantale Divina from Mt. St. Mary’s Namagunga won in Essay writing at National level with 68% score for the year 2021.

The competitions are marked by lectures from Makerere University and according to the structure; The students have to give a well elaborate title, description of the topic with clear examples from both the scriptures and daily life. Content is out of 30 marks, title is out of 50 marks language used is out of 10 marks, general expression is out of 10 marks.

The awarding ceremony was held at the offices of the East Africa Offices located at St. Peter’s Parish Nsambya Uganda.