Use proper curriculum, schools told
State minister for Higher Education John Muyingo (Centre) welcomed by pupils of Little Flowers Junior School in Kamira Sub-county, Luweero District last Friday. PHOTO BY DAN WANDERA
LUWEERO- Government will not hesitate to close any schools operating outside the ministry of Education curriculum and those that set own guidelines on school operations, the minister of state for Education, Dr Chrysostom Muyingo, has warned.
In his speech at the function at the launch of the Little Flowers Junior School’s music album in Luweero District, Muyingo said the Ugandan Government through the ministry of Education has the mandate to ensure that all programs implemented in schools are in line with the school curriculum, which explains the recent directive to have non-compliant schools closed.
He claimed that Bridge International schools will have to be greatly monitored to ensure they follow the set guidelines if they are allowed to operate.
“The curriculum implemented by all schools must be approved by the Ministry of Education,” he said.
“Government will not hesitate to close any school flouting the curriculum guidelines. It does not matter how big the proprietor is as long as the set guidelines are not flouted.”
He told the parents that they have an obligation to task the head teachers of all private schools to show them the school licenses and certificates from the Ministry of Education.
Finance minister Matiya Kasaija recently accused Bridge schools of teaching pornography, homosexuality and lesbianism.
The ministry ordered for their closure but the country director of Bridge International Academies Mr Andrew White last week ruled out the possibility of shutting down the schools in Uganda despite what he described as malicious criticism from the Education ministry, civil society organisations and the Uganda National Teachers’ Union.
The minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bamunanika Constituency appealed to parents to engage children in family projects during the coming long holiday with emphasis on home income generating projects. “The children must know where you get the school fees,”.You must also instill discipline and safeguard them against bad behavior. They hold the future of our country because they are the leaders of the next generation,” he said.
A recent report from Luweero District Education Inspectorate Department revealed that out of more than 600 schools both private and government, only 225 schools were inspected.
The District Education Officers hardly make a follow up of the different programmes and guidelines. Hajji Uthman Kamoga, the Inspector of schools blames the trend on lack of sufficient funding.
“We have an operational budget of just only Shs8 million shillings for inspection,”he said. “Yet we need at least Shs28 million to cover all the schools.”
