Schools register low student turn up

Some schools yesterday registered low student turn up as they turned away learners who had not cleared full tuition. 
Government closed education institutions on March 20 to contain the spread of coronavirus. 

However, candidate classes and finalists in higher learning institutions resumed yesterday.
Daily Monitor visited some schools yesterday and found a few students had been cleared to begin classes.
For example, only two candidates out of 57 at St Barnabas Primary School, Muyenga, reported.

The head teacher, Mr Jimmy Otim, was optimistic that the numbers would improve after inviting parents for a briefing on the way forward.
“The turn up is very low. We have invited parents tomorrow (today). We have to agree on how to support one another. There are some children who are day scholars and others boarders. 

“We need to strike a balance. We cannot be sure what is happening until they share with us. But many children had travelled to the villages and some are waiting to see what happens in the first weeks before they send back their children,” Mr Otim said.
Some parents could not send their children to school since they demanded full fees on the first day.
Mr Ismail Kaulle, a parent and a salon owner,  said he was forced to close the business as one of the measures to curb Covid-19.

 “I had a salon but failed to pay rent. I have two children in candidate classes but they will not report to schools because I have no hope of raising Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) registration fees on top of school fees,” Mr Kaulle said.  
Other schools that had low turn up included Mbale Progressive, Nkoma Secondary School, North Road Primary School and Fairway Primary School.

The State Minister for Education, Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo, asked parents who cannot meet the demands in their former schools to relocate their children to public schools where they are guaranteed to sit their final examinations since government would meet the Uneb fees.   
But some parents are reluctant because many government institutions are crowded and are less supervised.

It was observed that there will be challenges in ensuring standard operating procedures are adhered to the schools. 
For instance, some teachers were reluctant to wear facemasks even after reminders.  “It is going to a constant reminder to the community to put on a mask and properly,” St Peter’s SS, Nsambya, head teacher, Mr Remigius Mubiru, said.

“It is going to be the new normal. If you can’t, we might have to do away with you because we will not risk lives,” he added.
Rock View School Tororo head teacher Benedette Olokojo asked the pupils who had reported without masks to return home. 

Students who had turned up without paying full tuition at Kibuli Secondary School and St Peter’s Secondary School Nsambya were also asked to go back. This was a countrywide practice. 

Ms Sania Nagadya, the director of studies at St George High School, Rubaga, said they registered a low turn up because some schools which had both day and boarding were asked to choose one programme.

“It is very expensive to pay for boarding section when a child has been in day section. Some parents are not ready to take students to boarding. Maintaining social distancing in classes and dormitories calls for more manpower at school yet the administration wants to lay off certain workers because the income is very low. Parents are not ready to pay more money. The school fees is being paid in instalments,” she said.

 Ms Jalian Nabukeera, a parent, said majority of business people are still struggling to recover from the lockdown while others left their jobs because of the pandemic yet they were given short time for their students to report back.

 “We thought there was going to be a change because it was not clear about the payments , the  school administration are making us pay  afresh while  those who had balance from the previous term have to clear, which is unfair because the term had not elapsed,” she said . 

Most schools in Bugisu Sub-region also experienced low turn up of the finalist learners.
 In some schools, students and pupils, who had reported but had masks, were also sent back home. Many schools observed SOPs.

Reported by Shabibah Nakirigya, Olivier Mukaaya, Joseph Omollo & Patience Ahimbisibwe

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