The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A Human Rights Activist has petitioned High Court Civil Division to block the intended reopening of schools in the country. Gideon Tugume, the Executive Director of Human Rights Defenders Association Uganda HURIDA –Ug the intended reopening of schools is badly planned, illegal and discriminatory.
Schools were closed on March 20, 2020, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. However, the government has already announced a phased reopening which will start with candidate classes and finalists at all educational institutions, on October 15.
Tugume argues that at the time of the closure, Uganda did not have a single case of COVID-19, yet, at the moment, the country has more than 9,000 cases, and the government still wants to take chances and send learners out to large concentrations, a precursor for the spread of the virus.
He alleges that although several parents and learners are living in fear, the Minister of Health has failed to advise her Education counterpart against reopening schools. It is for this reason that he is specifically suing Education Minister Janet Museveni together with Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng.
Tugume states that he tried to engage the two ministers through social media and email but did not get any response from them and no action was taken to change the intended plans of reopening the schools prompting him to petition the court for redress. He is demanding that without a commitment from them, the reopening of schools for candidate classes should be halted.
Tugume now wants the court to declare that the reopening of some schools with such a huge number of children is likely to expose school-going children to COVID-19. In the same suit, he is demanding that the court should compel the government to pay school fees, registration fees and other requirements for all finalists at all levels of education.
According to Tugume, because, several businesses such as bars, open markets, events, music, and health clubs, among others which are a key source of employment are still not yet opened, parents are heavy laden and unable to meet the school requirements like school fees, among others.
The court is yet to summon the two ministers to file their defence.
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The petition is in order. In addition to paying the said monies on behalf of parents, gov’t should also pay salaries of private trs and loans for the private school owners.
I think the school reopening issue should be revised and i think declaration of dead year is the best alternative.
Its really true,government should understand what parents are going through now
Other developed countries with all capacities to do the reopening has failed with all equipment and medics yet a crawling country which is recording daily increase in new cases is going for an action their capacity cannot handle, its like a hegoat with the aim of mounting an elephant, why people with brain endangering the future generation
Sensible persons please come out and help these ministries in reasoning and make them see the reality of this pandemic, if their ordinary eyes cannot see the new infections n death, give them glasses to see
Most of these government schools don’t have enough teachers housings n it means they go back to community n contract the infection from there n come n spread to these kids,like the president said that the teachers can sleep in classes as its a trying time,who can sleep in classes without windows n doors from Oct to March next year, its inhuman please
Government is never there for a common lay man, the president is brain washed by mafias and they win, the government has never come out independently to regulate things, schools have started requesting for lists and lists of items before commencement lists of items requested that we cannot afford, the other day I went to collect my S2 son properties from school I had a balance of 150k but before I got the properties the school made me pay for the balance, sch fees is 1.2nd I had made more than half before closure in March but they asked for bal that I didnt have but had to get, parents are suffering so many children properties are at school getting destroyed, full of cobwebs, some bedsheets lyeing aimlessly basins chocked with dirty water as this was left in, really schools shd have accepted parents to pick things without penalties but who is there to help nobody, not even gov the rich are using money to siphone money from the poor, I know God shall turn this around even if situations are monetised, God is not sleeping
Hey! My fellow Ugandan ,let’s reason together. The government’s plan of reopening other sectors like schools isn’t a crime because they have already shown the public how to live. Rem we don’t know when covid19 will stop.let’s bear together with all situation.
The gov’t should really think about the future before reopening schools,covid19 is roaring everyday,so sending these pupils back is exposing them to the virus,in conclusion,the gov’t should re-think about this issue,hurry hurry has no blessings!
Tugume’s reasoning is fake, in march, ugandans werent aware of the virus, the government has taken the initiative to make the publc be aware of the virus, so the reopening of schools is actualy very safe, is tugume aware of when the virus wil go or nt
Mandela, rethink,our businesses are still closed,not every parent is capable like you. Where will the parents whose businesses are still closed will get the money to meet the requirements for their sons and daughters??? Kindly appreciate people’s views but don’t attack them
You guys must notice something in your life. Don’t be like born today children who don’t think of tomorrow. Imagine,
If you fail to reopen schools when the Covid 19 cases are in 10000+ , then will you open them next year when the cases have risen to 30000+??????
Those who are opossing opening up of schools please answer me
tugume should rethink again
I think the school reopening issue should be revised and i think declaration of dead year is the best alternative.
Poor we, God should intervene in this situation
I Wonder why people are against school reopening under SOP’s,you should know that covid 19 positive cases are increasing and they will not reduce by next year yet education is extremely vital therefore it also determines the children’s future.
Tugume is ryt coz many parents are block by now.Even some can’t pay all d sch fees 4 3 terms in normal situation,wat abt in this global covid19 pls!!!
Mandela/ Bright should rewind their views, just imagine how poverty is ictching us as parents, our businesses are still closed, where do you think the parents whose businesses are closed will get the money to pay for their sons and daughters
we are watching atleast subsidize this years education Mr. President and your Government
If traders in kikuubo are working, taxis are operating, bars are operating though illegally. Why should schools remain closed? These ninjas no longer stay at home they roa from village to village learning all sorts of bad habits, contacting all strains of STDs and unwanted pregnancies. If we are to have a better future all learners must go back to school parents can no longer manage their own children. We must learn how to stay with the virus just the way we have HIV
We don’t need such people, when we sit,they complain,when we move, they resist. This is Uganda, our ideas are there to counter anything, we ain’t weak,let’s open schools and move forward, if you feel amole,underground’s your cover, right now is the chance to move because what we been doing was,sit and watch,feel vulnerable. We might not be the best country but we can be the best thinkers, the virus is the problem,we fix it
Let the year begin aflesh en we follow the education protocol instead of fodging the uneb date yet they are well known en the year is only remaining with only two months bt why are you panicking to reopen