High numbers worry officials in USE students headcount
Ministry of Education headcount enumerator Patrick Twinamasiko (L) conducts the counting of students at Kololo Senior Secondary School in Kampala yesterday. It was observed that majority of USE schools were overcrowded. PHOTO BY MUHAMMAD TALHA.
What you need to know:
Ministry of Education officials say the numbers exceed the recommended 60 students per class.
Kampala
Government officials yesterday conducted a national school headcount of students in the free education programmes. Majority of schools surveyed showed that they are grappling with high student enrolment amidst few teachers.
For instance, at Kololo Secondary School, there are 2,970 students, with 2, 569 of them Under Universal Secondary Education (USE). But they have only 60 teachers on the government payroll.
It is worse in the science subjects like Mathematics and Physics where schools reported lack of teachers.
Ms Margaret Watuwa, the head teacher, said: “We have many students with each class having eight streams of about 90 students. But I thank God the teachers have managed to handle the situation.” “We have a problem with science teachers. They are not there. We try to hire on part time, but right now we have four gaps.”
The Ministry of Education headcount supervisor, Mr Sam Lubega, acknowledged the high number of students in USE schools requesting that the government constructs more classrooms.
In other schools, students were sent back home to collect their result slips, birth certificates and identity cards as some of the necessary documents needed during the exercise. These are used to ascertain whether the student was admitted within the ministry’s guidelines.
For instance, for a candidate to qualify for USE sponsorship, the student must have scored between Aggregate four and 28 in the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).
Ms Edith Amuge, the deputy administrator Arua Public Secondary School, said: “Some students were sent home for the necessary documents like PLE results, identity cards and birth certificates. We have inadequate classrooms. We are forced to do double shifts and this affects curriculum coverage.”
In Adjumani, at Biyaya SS, the students also reported at school without the basic requirements while rain disrupted the exercise in Yumbe District. Aringa Secondary School’s head teacher Swaleh Ijosiga asked the government to release funds early and recruit staff to meet the demands of the high student population. The school has 800 students.
Kololo High School teacher, Mr Hakim Seviiri, said most of the absentees were girls and blamed parents for their irresponsibility. “Parents do not take their responsibility to check whether students reach school, or provide the requirements like papers and school uniform,” Mr Seviiri said.
