30 private schools in Kasese shut down
Pupils play outside one of the dilapidated classrooms at a school that was closed in Kasese District. PHOTO BY ENID NINSIIMA
What you need to know:
Poor state. Education officials in the district say, the closed private schools lacked the basic facilities and a conducive environment for pupils to learn.
Kasese.
Kasese District authorities have closed 30 schools in a crackdown on private schools that do not meet the required minimum standards.
The schools were closed on Monday during an operation by the district and municipal education officials.
“We have decided to move all over the district to make sure that all schools without minimum education standards are shut down,” said Mr Ernest Thabugha, the Kasese inspector of schools.
He said investigations revealed that some private schools had resorted to using government resources like desks and textbooks stolen from public schools by private school proprietors.
“We are tired of pupils leaving comfortable schools to study under trees. Our textbooks and desks are used in private schools whose owners are our teachers. If they want to own schools, let them get their own materials,” Mr Thabugha charged.
He said the education inspectors would also close down all unlicensed schools in the district.
“We have been specifically looking for schools without licences, no matter other facilities the school has, and those that do not meet the minimum requirements. We have advised them to reapply for reopening so that they can be re-assessed and guided,” Mr Thabugha said.
He added: “But those without minimum standards will remain closed permanently. We are not against private schools but we want them to have the required standards and conducive environment for our pupils.”
The Sunday Monitor has learnt that many schools have become defiant and reopened without authorisation.
The inspectors claimed the most affected schools were operating in structures that looked like kitchens and shacks while others were teaching pupils from under trees.
Closed schools
Liz Kindergarten,
Elite Model Nursery
Faith Orphanage
Sacred Heart
Unique Legacy Nursery
Green Valley Orphanage
Nyakahya Muslim
Saddais Muslim
Light Nursery
Kyoga Preparatory Nursery
Unity Bridge
St Balikuddembe
Luck Child Model
Brain Trust
Kirabaho
Green Valley
Bwesumba Super
Bwesumbu CoU
Kabantunda Full Gospel
