Parents cry out as teachers hold night lessons to dodge creditors

What you need to know:

  • Risk. Parents say the classes are putting their children at risk of defilement.

Namutumba. Parents in Namutumba District have petitioned the chief administrative officer (CAO), Mr Dembe Beyaza, over allegations that primary school teachers are holding night lessons to dodge creditors.
The parents, through their umbrella body; Educate the Child Parents Association, said since the beginning of the term, teachers have been conducting lessons from 5:30pm to 8pm.
“At first we thought they were putting an extra effort into their work but we noticed they are doing so because they are credit defaulters,” Mr Wilson Maganda, the association secretary, said last Tuesday.
“Those who sleep at the staff quarters teach as early as 5am to 7:30am while those who reside outside school premises hold extra lessons,” he added.
Normal lessons are between 8am and 5pm. In a November 2 letter to Mr Beyaza, the parents expressed fear that their girls risk being defiled or raped as they return home.
Mr Peter Mpata, a parent at Kilanga Primary School in Nsinze Sub-county, said many pupils are missing lessons because they cannot wake up as early as 4am to attend them.
Mr Mpata said other schools conducting the lessons are in Nsinze, Nawaikona, Kizuba, Bugobi and Bulange sub-counties.
“Parents are being forced to escort their children during morning and evening hours so that pupils can attend classes. We request the CAO to talk to the teachers so that if possible, their salaries are withheld to repay their loans,” he said.
Mr Swaib Kasadha, a teacher, attributed their situation to meagre salary.
“The Shs400,000 we get every month is not enough to help us pay school fees for our children, rent and transport. That is why we get more than one loan from money lenders,” Mr Kasadha said.
Mr Beyaza directed that effective next month, no teacher will be entitled to a loan when he or she has not settled the previous one.
“We are not going to allow the habit of teachers being hunted by moneylenders and they abandon their job. Those found processing a loan with an outstanding one will not be allowed,” he said.
The Town Council LC3 chairperson, Mr Godfrey Mwembe, blamed government for not increasing teachers’ salaries to their expectation.
While addressing leaders during a budget conference last week, Mr Godfrey Bwaita, the district senior education officer, reechoed Mr Beyaza’s warning.
For instance, Mr Bwaita said a teacher at Kilanga Primary School escaped through the classroom window when moneylenders closed in on him with police officers.
“When teachers are always on the run, they do not teach and it is the pupils to suffer. We are trying to engage teachers by appealing to them to stop getting more than one loan,” he said.
A moneylender, only identified as Ronald, said teachers hardly repay their loans.