J'tuli

The fifth of the six EFA goals focuses on gender. The EFA Global Monitoring Report 2008 states that 47% of countries with data have achieved or are close to reaching the gender parity in secondary education (19 additional countries since 1999; there are still 18 out of 113 countries that have yet to fulfill this goal). While there have been significant improvements in gender parity, there are still many challenges that Ugandan secondary education is currently facing in regards to gender, specifically equality. The EFA 2008 Summary reports that "Boys' underparticipation and underachievement are of growing concern in secondary education...Sexual violence, insecure school environments and inadequate sanitation disproportionately affect girls' self-esteem, participation and retention. Textbooks, curricula and teacher attitudes continue to reinforce stereotypes on gender roles in society."

This photo journal is an attempt to capture some, but not all, of these gender issues. While later posts depict school's methods of teaching and reinforcing knowledge about sexual education, AIDS, abstinence, and self-respect, among other topics, the first few posts are simply a tribute to the students of the Mukono District. Taken on campuses during hours of instruction, these photos aim to portray the secondary school experience in the Mukono District of Uganda.