Boarding or day; parents puzzled with new guidelines in schools

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   Many parents have been left in confusion and despair after finding new arrangements in the operation mode of their preferred schools as the teaching and learning activities for finalists and candidates resume.   

As one of the guidelines for reopening, the schools were told to either operate day or boarding but not both. With the guideline, schools which were operating as day and boarding had to remove one section. Most schools decided to operate as a boarding section will help to minimize the risks and also ensure high concentration on academics.       

At St Peter’s Nsambya, administrators chose to operate as a boarding school. As school reopened several learners and parents were left in confusion after being turned away from the school.      

For every learner that was arriving, the gatekeepers could ask them whether they are coming in boarding section and those who were not would be told to go back home and inform their parents on the changes.    

“But I have been studying from here for so long and I was in day,” one learner said as he tried to plead with the gateman. “School are reopening today and am going to class.”

A teacher intervened trying to explain to the puzzled learner and told him to return with his parent.

Learners who were reporting with their parents could be allowed to enter the school premises and directed to the school bursar’s office for clearance. It’s from there that the new changes would be communicated.       

Moses Opio, a parent, says that the school had not informed them earlier for the to prepare. He says while in the office he was told to either enroll his child in boarding or else he looks for day school.         

Opio, settled for the former saying he was going back home to look for the requirements and return with the pupil at a later day.      

Alice Nalutaaya, another parent, says that the decision left them with no option other than looking for available day schools. She notes that being a single mother who struggles to raise fees, she could not afford the boarding section fees and requirements.       

“I really like this school but I cannot afford those requirements, so we will definitely look for another school around here and if we fail to get one, she will have to wait until next year,” Nalutaaya who was nearly shading tears moments before she grabbed her child’s hand to return home, said.   

According to the fees structure at St Peter’s, day pupils used to pay 99,000 shillings and those in the boarding section part with 500,000 shillings. However, pupils who are changing from day to boarding will be paying 700, 000 shilling.   The situation was no different at Makerere College Secondary School. 

Kenneth Lukwago, the deputy headteacher, says they opted to operate as a boarding school to cater to the many students they get from across the country.

“Most of the students, about 60 percent, were in boarding and we thought it would be simple for others to join boarding section,” ays Lukwago . “We feel for our dear parents who had day students and we have already told them to embrace the new system.”

Ritah Nalubowa, a parent at Makerere College, says that the decision has affected them as it has come at short notice yet the required items for a boarding student are many.   

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