RAY OF HOPE LEARNING CENTRE
Ray of Hope is Epiphany School's partner school for 2026-2027! Read about where it's located, get an overview of the school, and view a tour of the school here.
Overview
Type of School
Ray of Hope is a private day school that is a learning center for children from struggling families who cannot afford school fees in private and government schools.
Grade Levels
The school runs from pre-K to P4.
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Student Body
Ray of Hope has a total of 210 students, with 110 of them being boys and 100 being girls.
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Staff
There are 4 teachers at Ray of Hope Learning Centre.
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Ugandan School System
The school system in Uganda works differently from how schools here in the US work! The Ugandan education system is based on the British system and consists of seven years of primary school (grades 1-7), four years of lower secondary (grades 8-11), and two years of upper secondary school (grades 12-13). A large percentage of schools are boarding schools - as opposed to day schools - and around 70% of primary schools are privately owned.
Since 2007, the Ugandan governemnt has adopted universal primary and secondary education policies. This means that on paper, attending primary and secondary school is free for every student. However, schools still incur "hidden costs"on parents as they are expected to pay for uniforms, school supplies, and meals for their children. For students whose parents cannot afford to do so, completing their schooling can be extremely difficult.
Location
Ray of Hope is located in Namuwongo, a suburb in Kampala city that is situated alongside a defective railroad in the city's industrial area.With over 2,500 structures, Namuwongo is the 2nd largest slum in Kampala with close to 30,000 residents. Built in a swamp, Namuwongo homes are subject to frequent flooding and exposure to water-borne illnesses. Namuwongo is home to many refugees coming from Northern Uganda, DR Congo, and South Sudan. It is estimated that the typical Namuwongo family survives off of $1 per day.
Campus
The campus is located in an urban slum and is composed of a nursery section and a primary section. The primary section only accommodates pupils from primary one to primary four due to a lack of financial ability to hire teachers for the upper classes.
The classrooms at Ray of Hope Learning Centre are small, and the center lacks enough chairs or desks for the students. Despite this, the headteacher and teachers are passionate about their work and class lessons are well-conducted.
Culture
Students at Ray of Hope come from a variety of cultures and countries, but many of them are part of the Baganda people group, which makes up 17% of Uganda’s total population. As Baganda's official spoken language is Luganda, students grow up speaking Luganda at home. Students begin learning English in kindergarten — by the time they are in fourth grade, their schooling is completed entirely in English.
Dance is an important part of culture for those in Kampala as it is used to celebrate important events, express emotions, and honor one's community. The students at Ray of Hope are skilled at dancing and have shared some of their dances with students in their partner school in Seattle!
Partnership History with Sister Schools
Ray of Hope Learning Centre has partnered with Sister Schools since 2019!
