Government reopening terms not practical – private schools
Ms Victoria Nayiga, a primary teacher, with pupils in Kagote Village, Fort Portal City, on Tuesday. One of the proposals set by government is that schools open with a maximum of 10 pupils in a classroom. PHOTO/ALEX ASHABA
Private school proprietors yesterday said some of government’s proposed conditions to reopen their institutions are impractical and warned that implementation will be an added cost to the parents.
The schools were closed three months ago to prevent transmission of coronavirus. The Ministry of Health has set standards, which schools must follow if they reopen.
Some of them require that schools open with a maximum of 10 pupils in a classroom to keep the recommended two-metre distance between learners.
But Mr Hasadu Kirabira, the chairperson of the Private Schools Association, said some of the proposals cannot be met, especially in primary and nursery schools.
“Social distancing is going to be a big burden to schools and impractical. It is difficult to implement social distancing in primary and nursery schools. We can avoid activities of crowding,” Mr Kirabira said.
He added: “The problem is modifying infrastructure to meet the standards. This will require a Covid-19 related fund to assist institutions. It will be costly. We will need another year to have those infrastructure modifications.”
Their partners in the government schools have also branded the Ministry of Health’s demands as impractical but said they will meet next week with the Ministry of Education officials to agree on terms, which are achievable by both parties.
Mr Martine Okiria Obore, the chairperson for the Association for Secondary School Head Teachers, yesterday said: “Some of the people who have made proposals don’t know the situation on ground. We want to review and give what is workable. We shouldn’t propose what is impossible.”
Mr Kirabira said the recommendations will be an added cost to the parents but said meeting the conditions will be harder in government institutions where enrolment is higher.
Recently, private schools appealed to government to pay their teachers’ salaries who have now entered the fourth month without pay. In addition, they requested for waivers on taxes and utility bills, especially water, which requests, according to Mr Kirabira, have not been responded to.
I n a June 17 letter to Education Minister Janet Museveni, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Health minister, outlined standard operating procedures which all education institutions must follow to prevent coronavirus transmission when they are finally allowed to reopen.
During her update to the nation on Friday, Ms Museveni observed that she had received the guidelines from Dr Aceng but promised to inform the country after analysing the contents.
SOME PROPOSALS
· Committee with 7 members who write a report to the district taskforce daily
· Each class to have a student leader for Covid-19
· Each school to recruit health assistant
· District taskforce to disinfect all institutions which were used as quarantine centres
· Stagger releasing students for breaks, lunch and going home to limit interaction
