School in Nakaseke fails to re-open over lack of funds

Nakaseke, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Amazing Grace Nursery and Primary School in Nakaseke District has failed to re-open citing a lack of funds to meet COVID 19 Standard Operating Procedures and operational costs. 

On Monday, schools reopened in a staggered manner for non-candidate classes beginning with semi-candidates in P.6, S.3 and S.5. This group of learners will study for 14 weeks before breaking off in May 2021. 

P.4 and P.5 will report to school on April 6 studying for 8 weeks and break off on June 21 to allow lower primary classes to report and use the school facilities.  P.1, P.2 and P.3 learners will report back on June 7, study for eight weeks, which will end on July 24.

For schools to reopen, they had to meet the updated SOPs which require all schools to ensure a two-meter social distancing at all times within the school environment. In addition to this, schools have to provide several handwashing points and ensure that learners wear facial masks at all times.

However Amazing Grace Nursery and Primary School located at Buggala village in Nakaseke Sub County has resolved not to reopen and advised learners to go to other schools till further notice.

Resty Nampijja, the Director of Amazing Grace Nursery and Primary School says that currently, they need over 10 Million Shillings to meet COVID- 19 SOPS and other operational costs which are not available.

Nampijja added that it’s not economically viable to get loans and inject in school to reopen when all learners are not yet back to school to spread the costs.

Nampijja noted that they have since resolved to treat the academic year 2020 as a dead year and will re-organize to reopen in another academic year when all learners are back to school.

She noted that they have informed the parents to take the learners to other schools until all classes are reopened.

Florence Najjemba a parent says that this is unfortunate and they were still pondering on where they can transfer their children to access better education services.

Najjemba asked the government to offer grants to private schools to meet SOPS since they also help to cover gaps which they can’t fill.

John Kiwanuka another parent says that the school’s failure is a big blow to poor learners who were studying on half bursaries.

Stephen Batanudde the Nakaseke District Education Officer said he advised the school not to rush re-opening because he found out that they were not meeting the SOPs.

Batanudde says that they are also inspecting other schools to find out those who can’t meet the SOPs and direct them to close so that they save learners from contracting the virus. 

He advised affected parents to take learners to government schools in case they can’t meet school fees in private schools which have re-opened.

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