The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Bukomansimbi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Hundreds of pupils and students in Bukomansimbi district are at risk of contracting Corona Virus Disease- Covid19 disease due to failure to maintain social-distancing.
Several learners are forced to converge in the homes of their classmates to share of self-study material owning to the limited number supplied by Ministry of Education and Sports.
Josephine Nakibuuka, a parent in Sserinya village in Butenga Sub County, says primary seven pupils from the village have made her home a converging point after they learnt that her daughter got copies of the self-study materials.
Nakibuuka notes that despite the known threat of Covid19 infection, she finds it unreasonable to chase away the learners given the fact that they live on the same village and have a right to education.
She blames the Education Ministry for what she describes as failing to meet the responsibility they voluntarily assumed of providing the self-study materials.
Arthur Mubiru, a parent in Kalubanda village, says parents have found it inventible to stop their children from interacting because they don’t have sufficient study materials.
He explains that the whole village with close to fifty Primary six learners got only one copy, which has complicate their efforts to enforce social distancing. He wants the Education Ministry to call off the process until it is sure enough material is sent to learners across the country. //Cue in: (Luganda)“twafunye obuzibu….
Gertrude Namugenyi and Rosette Nakisitu, both Primary Seven Pupils at Buwenda Primary Schools, say despite living in separate homes that are further apart, they moved to join their colleague who had a copy of the study material where they also found several other classmates. The candidates note that despite being aware of the importance of maintaining social distance to prevent the spread of coronavirus, it has proven difficult because of government failure to sufficient study materials.
Last week, chairpersons from 19 villages in Kawoko Parish in Butenga Sub County in Bukomansimbi district, declined to distribute the self-study materials sent out to them, saying it was inadequate.
However, Joseph Magezi, the Butenga Sub county LC 3 Chairperson who is responsible for the distributing the materials, says the cited inadequacies couldn’t hold them back from issuing the materials as they continue pushing government to address the challenge in due course.
Butenga Sub County received 2,785 copies of self-study materials for primary and secondary school learners against a total population of 9,000 learners.
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