Teachers: Absence of nursery schools will weaken education foundation

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The indefinite suspension of the re-opening of the nursery schools will hurt the foundation of schooling according to teachers.

Last week, Education Minister Janet Museveni said nursery schools handling children aged three to six will remain closed throughout the Covid-19 season.

She explained that this particular age bracket doesn’t wear face masks and are at high risk of contracting the disease.

But teachers argue that nursery schools are vital in motivating young learners to appreciate school and education as a whole and hence their attitude towards education is likely to change if they don’t join school early enough.

Sandra Beatrice Odweki, a teacher at Grand Mother’s Arms Primary and Nursery School in Kasese town says from her experience, children who have gone through nursery actively participate in primary section much more than those who start school from primary one.

She adds that teachers work to prepare the young learners at primary one is easier if they have been in nursery since they already have basics of being in a school.

Odweki is also concerned that while government thinks parents are at home teaching their children, this is totally not the case with many of them looking for survival.

She equally says children in homes have been left free to play and stay in the company of so many people which actually exposes them more to the risk of contracting the Covid-19.

Zefania Mugisa, a teacher at Standard Nursery and primary school also in Kasese says the absence of nursery schools is a big setback in children’s upbringing.

He reasons that nursery schools go beyond academics as they teach children social basics and values such as sharing and friendship.

If this is lost when children are below five years, children hardly pick these manners in their entire childhood and lifetime for that matter.

Zefania also adds that when children get used to the culture of going to school at a tender age, they get used to the system. As such, many young children could in future reject school because of the indefinite suspension.

The head teacher Brain Trim Nursery and Primary school Robert Tusingwire says nursery teachers have effectively lost their jobs because no school can afford to pay them salaries when they are not working.

The school is also struggling to pay off its loans acquired last year due to the absence of resources usually generated from fees collections.

Meanwhile, teacher Namanya, the director of Super Nursery and Primary school in Bundibugyo says the suspension of nursery schooling activities has already taken a toll on the school.

He says he has been operating on loans to uplift the school infrastructure and is worried that the bank my take part of these structures.

Keith Kule, the head teacher Crane Preparatory school in Bundibugyo town says children at home will be more at risk to other bad behaviors in the absence of their siblings who will return to school when they re-open. He thinks schools are able to handle the children under the ministry of health guidelines.

Dorothy Ampaire, the Director of Mbaga Nursery and Primary says the government should have declared a dead year or two until it is safe for all learners.

She says Nursery schools contribute greatly to instill discipline among children.

In Mbale, Simon Odoloi, the deputy head teacher in charge of academics at Nkonkonjeru Primary School said it is regrettable that government has taken such a decision of suspending nursery schools which are key in the development of the children’s brains.

He adds that the decision also affects the school in terms of funding since the nursery section has been the biggest funder of major activities in the school. Nkokonjeru had over 600 nursery learners.

Robert Wamimbi, the Head teacher of Mbale Tower Primary school notes that the school had 110 nursery learners who paid Ugx 375,500 per term which was used to pay the staff members including the ten teachers in the nursery section.

Wanimbi adds that the suspension of the nursery section will now render the ten teachers unemployed but also affected parents who have busy work schedules.

At Quran Primary School in Katabi-Namate, Entebbe ,the head teacher Twahir Masanga says they are restructuring the nursery section to be used by primary pupils.

He has little hope that the nursery sections will be re-opened despite its foundational value.

Ramlah Bukirwa, administrator at Yuvam Pre-schools International however says the school had not yet opened the kindergarten due to pending approval from municipality’s education officer.

Meanwhile, ten nursery schools are seeking buyers in Soroti city according to Peter Etiang, the chairperson of Soroti City Head Teacher’s Association.

Without divulging details of the particular schools, Etiang says most of these schools were servicing loans by the time the lockdown was announced.

Apollo Ebitu, the Director of Standard Junior School in Kalaki district says their investments are now at the mercy of bank managers and other credit service providers.

But Daniel Ndagga, the Principal Education Officer of Entebbe Municipality says international schools with kindergartens are open because they have been exempted.

Assad Kirabira, the chairperson National Private Educational Institutions Association says they have listed a number of concerns and safety messages that schools will put in place to ensure the learners are safe.

These will be shared with the ministry of education.

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