Gov’t proposal of learners studying in community schools not feasible – Parents

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Several parents have said that the government’s proposal that children of lower primary classes should study in schools in the community is not practical.

This week, the education ministry came up with seven proposals for the safe reopening of learning institutions. Among them was to encourage the parents to take their lower primary learners to the schools near their homes as a way of reducing the risks of contracting Covid-19.

Dr Kedris Turyagyenda, the head of the Directorate of Education Standards at the ministry said that parents should consider using schools that are closer to homes.

However, some parents say that the proposal is good but impossible to implement.

Hellen Nakimera, a parent whose children study at Kitante Primary School, says that it is convenient for her because her workplace is near the school.

Regina Kayondo, a parent who resides in Makindye says none of her children has studied in a school that is nearby. She says none of the schools around her community has the standards that she cherishes.

“My youngest son was studying at Pivot nursery school before the lockdown, he is always picked by a van in the morning and dropped by the same van. Our target is to have our children get a good foundation and this needs a school with quality standards,” Kayondo says.

Lillian Babirye says she finds boarding schools to be a safer place for her children, but these are far away from where she lives.

Some of the parents in Kagugube, one of the urban slums in Kampala attribute their choice for far away schools to lack of money. They argue that they cannot afford the fees charged by the private schools in the community.

Darwin Ssebaduka, a parent and also the chairman of Kitamanyangamba in Kagugube parish says that the area lacks affordable schools. Ssebaduka says the idea of educating the children in community schools is good advice however, it’s not practical to the parents since the nearby schools are all private and expensive.

Jane Katusabe and Sofia Nabasitu, both parents say they cannot afford the nearby private schools and this leaves them with no option but to take their children to schools far away from where they reside.

Ssebaduka proposes that the government should establish parish model schools to cater for parents who cannot afford the mushrooming but expensive private schools. He says that such schools will save the children moving long distances searching for education.

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