Full reopening of schools in doubt again after COVID-19 surge

Schools ask Govt to provide study materials for Lower Primary

A section of primary schools have asked the government to provide self-study materials for the lower primary learners.

The government in February printed 5.43 million copies to be distributed to schools as part of the interventions to supplement teaching-learning activities in the covid-19 disrupted learning period.

Although school administrators say that the materials were much needed during the lockdown period, they could still be used to enable the lower primary learners to catch up with the syllabus.

Unlike learners in the upper primary, the lower primary learners have not received the self-study materials.

Richard Abura, the deputy headteacher of Nakasero Primary School says that the school has distributed the self-study books to each learner in the upper classes. He however says that the lower primary learners have not received the materials from the government yet they need them for continuity.

David Ssengendo, the headteacher of Buganda Road Primary School, says the school received study materials for only primary five and six learners.

‘’They gave us primary five and six home study material and we gave them out to the learners and now we are waiting for the other study materials from primary one to four’’, says Ssengendo.

Alice Nabwire, the deputy headteacher KCCA   Primary School Kamwokya, says that they are waiting for the materials for learners in P1-P3 who will be reporting on June 7.

Nabwire indicates that with the inadequate time of seven weeks that they will spend with learners from lower classes, it is prudent that the self–study materials are provided by the government on time.

The Deputy Executive Director National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) Dr Bernadette Nambi says that they are yet to be instructed by the Ministry of Education to release the lower primary materials.

The materials were introduced as one of the interventions to ensure that learners continue learning during the lockdown.

Last month, it was reported that materials are gathering dust in stores. The Ministry of Education contracted three different publishers including; Baroque Publishers, MK Publisher, and Fountain Publisher to print and distribute 5.43 million copies to benefit learners in upper primary and lower secondary.

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