UGANDA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

KAMPALA CAMPUS

NAME: SSENFUKA SHAFIK

REG. NUMBER: KS18B11/605

FACULTY: LAW

COURSE: LLB1

COURSE UNIT: WRITING AND STUDY SKILL 2

LECTURER: YVONNE BIRUNGI

QUESTION;
Write a ten minute talk on a subject that interests you include an introduction and a conclusion. In
between make three points and state, explain, illustrate and apply each one.

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FACING THE DILEMMA OF SCHOOL DROPOUT
Good evening ladies and gentlemen!

I’m thankful for the opportunity to talk to you tonight. I’m sure you’re sitting here at this time of
the day, you want answers. You’re here on your own time because you care about our children.
You want to make sure I bring real solutions with me today, not just bandages. Well, my main
focus today is how to avoid school dropouts among our children. Remember our entire
community will benefit if our children remain in school, but this is important to know “dropout
prevention and intervention” begins in pre-school and extends beyond and involves families and
communities. So I have three main points to address this problem namely; Early intervention
pre-kindergarten through primary seven, Involvement of families in student’s learning,
Monitoring of academic progress of students. After that brief introduction, I will directly go to
point one of my talk today which is;

Do you know that school dropouts can be reduced through early intervention pre-kindergarten
through primary seven? We have to act early to avoid school dropouts of our children by
providing high quality universal pre-school and full day kindergarten strong elementary
programs that ensures students are doing primary level work when they enter middle school and
middle school programs that address school dropouts. This is because early school lays a
foundation upon which to build future academic success. It provides a window for optimal brain
development, 90% of brain development is estimated to occur before the age of five. Early
literacy development is also important to later academic success. We have to know that children
with poor reading skills are more likely to repeat classes setting stage for a pattern of failure in
school, the fundamentals of being a good reader(i.e. cognitive and language skills) are learned
before children reach school age. It is also important to know that intervention targeted at
children during the birth to three, pre-school and kindergarten stages, can prepare them to enter
elementary school with good language development, cognitive skills and self-concept regardless
of their family background or personal characteristic. This will help them have good grades in
school thus encouraging them to continue with school, students with poor reading skills tend to
have challenges in school which affect their performance thus dropping out of school.

It is an old saying that charity begins at home, therefore there should be involvement of families
in students’ learning; look; parents we have a role to play in the learning of our students other

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than paying school fees. We should be involved in our students’ learning at school and at home
in new and creative ways so that all families- single parent families, families in poverty and
families in minority communities can support our children in healthy behaviors and stay actively
involved in our children’s education from per-school through high school to graduation. You can
all agree with me that most of us have not been supportive in our children’s education and this
has led to increased dropouts. Now when us parents commit to support our children through
school, it encourages them in one way or another thus ensuring the brightness of our nation’s
future because our entire community will benefit if our children remain in school. Therefore, I
argue us today dear parents in this meeting to continue supporting our children in their education
in all areas we can manage other than paying school dues. Parents support your children in times
when they are struggling academically especially with high school students. Try to always find
out from them why they are not attending school thereby helping the teachers thus reducing
school dropouts for the benefit of our entire community.

Monitoring of academic progress of students can also help us to handle the challenge of school
dropouts amongst our children: this is same thing that involves us parents also. Here we are
required to monitor student’s academic progress during the school year through a variety of
measures that provide a full picture of students’ learning. In doing this we help the teachers
ensure that students don’t lag behind academically not forgetting that our entire community will
benefit if our children remain in school. I know you’re wondering how this can be possible. We
need just to make the students accountable for their performance and encouraging them when
they have under-performed making them feel that they are not alone in the battle. Show them
that their education is a benefit to the entire community and that there are people behind their
success. This will encourage them stay focused and keep in school thus beating off school
dropout.

I argue you parents present today take these points discussed serious and also make them known
to those who didn’t make it here today. If we are to enjoy the fruits of the education of our
children and see the bright future of our community since our entire community will benefit if
our children remain in school.

Thank you for listening, for your attention, and your most valuable time. May God bless each
one of you abundantly!