Six schools in Kabarole not to reopen over failure to meet SOPs

Kabarole, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Six schools in Kabarole district will not reopen for candidate classes on Thursday after failing to meet the COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures –SOPs issued by the Ministry of Education.  

The schools include St Julius Primary School, Smart Nursery and Primary School, Kansenene Primary School and St Felix Primary School in Kabarole district.  Others include Tooro Boarding Primary School and Fort Portal Primary School in Fort Portal City.    

Last month, the Ministry of Education and Sports issued several guidelines that all education institutions are supposed to observe before reopening for finalists and candidate classes on October 15.   

These include Foot-operated handwashing facilities, daily screening of learners and staff at the gate, social distancing of 2 meters between learners, each classroom having only 10 learners and restricting community access to schools among others.   

Patrick Rwakaikara, the Kabarole District Education Officer, Patrick Rwakaikara, the schools are in a bad state with overgrown bushes around the classrooms, lacked the handwashing facilities, did not have the temperature guns. 

For instance, he says that at St Julius Primary School which had nine candidates, they even lack latrines and the only one which they have is shared by pupils and teachers, a situation he says would be a very risky if the school reopens.

Rwakaikara explains that of the over 130 education institutions they inspected in the district, only four failed to meet the SOPs. He advises parents with children in these schools to find other nearby schools where they can enroll their children.

In Fort Portal City, the Education Officer, Richard Alituha, says that they inspected 50 education institutions that included 27 private and government primary schools, 13 secondary schools and 10 tertiary institutions.  

Alituha notes that most of them scored highly in terms of compliance with the SOPs. He, however, adds that the administrators of the two schools that will not reopen told the authorities that they need more time to put in place the requirements.   

At Tooro Boarding Primary School, the school which has 20 candidates lacks a gate, no hand washing facilities, the classrooms are poorly ventilated and they did not have any temperature guns.   

The Headteacher, Sylvia Nyangoma, notes that they are doing their best to put in place what they are lacking but are limited due to lack of funds.  

The Kabarole Deputy Resident District Commissioner Festus Bandeeba has warned schools that have not met the guidelines not to risk reopening, saying they consequences will be severe.

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