Uganda gets Shs9b boost from UK, Ireland for safe reopening of schools

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has received Shs9 billion from the UK and Irish governments to support Uganda’s sustainable strategy of reopening schools safely.
The officials say the primary focus will be on school-based surveillance for early identification, reporting, and management of emerging Covid-19 cases in schools, and the secondary focus will be on mental health and psychosocial well-being and training to support teachers and children to readjust following the two-year virus-induced lockdown.
It is being anticipated that these are critical activities which can have a lasting impact on the education sector, enabling it to remain open and continue to provide education for the country’s children.

The initiative will enable up to 40,000 schools (both public and private) across the country capacitated through district officials to effectively track and manage COVID-19 cases and support students and teachers on re-entry.
The UK has provided £450,000 (about Shs 2,153,403,038) towards the initiative, while the Irish government has injected Euro 1.8 million (about Shs7,200,521,083) for the overall government of Uganda school reopening strategy, a portion of which will be used for school-based surveillance and mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in Karamoja sub region.

Speaking at the opening of a one day training programme for teachers and head teachers at Buganda Road Primary School in Kampala on Thursday, Ms Kate Airey, British High Commissioner to Uganda, said “I sympathise with my Government of Uganda colleagues who have had to make really difficult decisions over the last two years. I, like all Ugandans were relieved when the Government announced schools would be reopening on the January 10, 2022.”
According to her, regaining the ground lost will not be easy.

“And ensuring this is essential not just for our children on an individual level, but to ensure Uganda’s economic development. Without investment in human capital, without schools remaining open, I fear Ugandans will start to fall behind regional peers,” she said before adding that Uganda must create a system to ensure that schools remain open, and education can carry on without further interruptions.

The UNICEF country representative, Dr Munir A. Safieldin said, “I share UNICEFs respect for all head-teachers and teachers present here. Others can support, but only you can keep the schools safe and ensure that children receive the quality education they need and deserve. We are aware that there are many challenges, and your task at the forefront of this effort is among the most difficult.  However, if anyone can make this happen, teachers can. The future of a generation of children, and the future of the country, is in your able hands.”

Cormac Shine, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Ireland, said Ireland, along with their development partners, remains committed to supporting education in Uganda and that the safe reopening of schools is “a landmark achievement after a challenging few years.”
[email protected]