Schools appeal for money to reopen
Left to right: Operation Wealth Creation deputy chief coordinator Lt Gen Charles Angina, ACODE executive director Arthur Bainomugisha, Economist Fred Muhumuza and Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group executive director Julius Mukunda after the high-policy dialogue in Kampala yesterday. PHOTO/KELVIN ATUHAIRE
Operators of private schools in the country have appealed to government to avail them a stimulus package to help them put in place requirements for reopening mid October.
The appeal was made yesterday in Kampala during a policy dialogue on reopening the economy organised by Advocacy Coalition on Development and Environment (ACODE) that attracted officials from government and the private sector.
At least 200 private schools have declared they will not reopen in October due to accumulated rent arrears in the last six months, according to the National Private Educational Institutions Association.
Mr Nicholas Sewagye, a programme director with the association, said the package will ensure no learner is left behind. “There are schools that need grants for reopening... Government should establish a public-private partnership with school operators because a number of schools are likely not to reopen and our learners are going to be affected,” he said.
Mr Sewagye said a number of measures prescribed by government for reopening cannot be met by most schools.
According to government requirements, schools should have temperature guns and recruit staff for screening, restrict access from community, which requires erecting fences, and disinfecting all surfaces in school, among other measures.
“Government should also think about reducing the price of water because it is essential in Covid-19 response. Government should also play the regulatory role to ensure that schools don’t hike fees as they reopen,” he said.
Mr Arthur Bainomugisha, the executive director of ACODE, said: “Government should explain how they will ensure that reopening of schools will not expose our children to danger [of Covid-19].” He also said most parents don’t have money to pay school fees.
Prof Sabiti Makara, a lecturer of Political Science at Makerere University, expressed worry that prolonged suffering of teachers will have a long-term effect on the profession.
He said the experience will also disinterest students enrolment in education-related courses.
“Teachers who were laid off due to the closure of schools have not been helped. Most of them are seen making bricks or growing cabbages,” he said.
Prof Makara added: “With the widespread violation of Covid-19 prevention measures, we are also not sure whether students will adhere to the guidelines for preventing Covid-19 spread, especially in hostels. The owners of hostels want money and we are not sure they will space as recommended.”
He said the home learning drive is a mess because most learners in rural areas are not accessing the materials being given out by Ministry of Education.
“Even if they were accessing the materials, how sure are we that parents can substitute teachers and assess whether the children are actually learning? The ministry also said children should not take taxis or boda bodas while going to school. Then how will they reach schools,” Prof Makara added.
Education Ministry
Ms Kedress Turyagyenda, the director of Education Standards at the Education ministry, said government has availed stimulus package for private firms and that private school operators can also benefit from it. “Covid-19 has woken us up to a number of things we were taking for granted. Our preparedness for emergency is nonexistent and we are putting in place systems that can help us move forward,” she said.
Ms Turyagyenda said although some teachers have deserted the profession, there are enough teachers to guarantee continuity of learning.
“We have been working with scientists and we are asking schools in areas where children come by public transport to find a safer way for children to commute to schools,” she said.
Ms Turyagyenda added: “We learnt that up to 30 per cent couldn’t either access radios or television so we produced educational materials to reach them but some of them didn’t get. For the next phase of distribution of the materials, every learner has been budgeted for. Every child will be receiving study materials, moving forward.”
She said the ministry is also planning to involve more teachers in the home learning. “We are engaging Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and Gender and all other stakeholders to come out and ensure that children are safe, protected from sexual violence and teenage pregnancies,” Ms Turyagyenda added.
