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Kyotera, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Bishop of Masaka Catholic Diocese Right Reverend Serverus Jjumba, has issued a decree directing compulsory feeding programs for all learners in Church-founded schools in the area.
He says his administration will not tolerate parents who fail to provide food for their children while at school. He announced the directive at Our Lady of Nazareth Parish in Kyebe sub county, Kyotera district while paying homage to the birthplace of St John Mary Mzee, one of three Catholic Uganda Martyrs that hails from Masaka diocese.
Bishop Jjumba noted that enforcing compulsory feeding programs for Church founded schools in the area, is intended to address the problem of starvation of students while at school hence compromising the quality of learning due to lack of concentration.
He has directed the diocesan Education Secretariat, the schools’ Chaplains, and Church leadership structures to monitor compliance with the directive in all Church-founded primary and secondary schools in the area, threatening he may invoke his authority to punish anybody that defies him.
Besides food, Bishop Jjumba has also challenged parents to support students with the required scholastic materials other than leaving the responsibilities to the government.
In 2016, the Ministry of Education and Sports issued a circular instructing the Chief Administrative Officers, District Education Officer, and head teachers to agree with their respective Schools Management Committees on affordable modalities of ensuring that all learners are fed while at school, as one of the interventions to improve literacy achievement levels and retention in schools.
But Bishop Jjumba, says that despite its significance to the teaching-learning process, the policy has not effectively been implemented due to the laxity of some parents, which has necessitated his intervention with stricter instructions.
On the other hand, Bishop Jjumba has cautioned head teachers of Roman Catholic-founded schools against any possible infiltration of same-sex content in their teaching curriculum.
He warns that he will not hesitate to order the closure of any schools that may contradict the moral fabric and canonical teachings of the Catholic faith.
Rose Nalubowa, the Masaka Diocesan Coordinator of Education and Social Services at the Masaka Diocesan Laity Commission, says the instructions of the Bishop are going to help reinforce campaigns to install acceptable moral standards among the children.
She is optimistic that the decree on compulsory school feeding programs will reawaken the parents to own up to their responsibilities of supporting the education of their children and the development of community schools.
The decree comes shortly after a recent directive by President Yoweri Museveni ordering head teachers in government schools to desist from chasing away children because of failure to pay money for lunch.
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