Government to extend crackdown on schools
Sep 17, 2008
THE directorate of education standards, after closing 398 schools in the central region, will next week, extend its inspections to north, east and western Uganda.
By Conan Businge
THE directorate of education standards, after closing 398 schools in the central region, will next week, extend its inspections to north, east and western Uganda.
According to an official from the directorate, the inspectors will be looking for schools that do not meet the operational, safety and security standards.
The districts to be inspected in northern Uganda include Gulu, Arua, Lira and Kitgum.
Those in the east are Jinja, Mbale, Tororo and Soroti.
In western Uganda, schools in Hoima, Mbarara, Kabarole and Kabale districts will be inspected.
The inspections were triggered by the wave of fires that engulfed schools since the Budo Junior School inferno in April in which 20 pupils were killed. In the three months that followed, more than 20 schools were burnt.
The official said the inspectors were not only looking at safety conditions, but also the quality and legality of the schools in the country.
The education ministry’s publicist secretary, Aggrey Kibenge, said the ministry had allocated sh3.5b towards the programme.
The ministry and the standards agency are using the provisions of the Education Act 2008, and the Public Health Act, CAP 281, to mount the inspections .
The standard agency’s director, Moses Otyiek, said: “All schools that do not meet the minimum standards will be closed with immediate effect.â€
When asked about the fate of students and pupils that are about to sit for their final national exams, Otyiek said the schools that were closed did not have national exam centres.
On interrupting their classes, he said: “It was unavoidable. We want to maintain safety and educations standards of all our children in schools.â€
Out of the 398 schools that were closed last week, 90% of them were not licensed, he said.
However, by yesterday, 23 schools that had been closed were allowed to open. They included Kawempe Junior, Kasozi Standard, Sovenior Mixed, Kawempe Mixed, Chardwick Namate, and Mbuga primary schools.
Others were Shiperoi Nursery and primary School, Kalinabili primary School, Mansuru High, Green Star, Lungujja primary School, Tree Shade primary School, M.B. and Ntumwa primary schools.
Cardinal wamala s.s. and St James primary school were also re-opened.
THE directorate of education standards, after closing 398 schools in the central region, will next week, extend its inspections to north, east and western Uganda.
According to an official from the directorate, the inspectors will be looking for schools that do not meet the operational, safety and security standards.
The districts to be inspected in northern Uganda include Gulu, Arua, Lira and Kitgum.
Those in the east are Jinja, Mbale, Tororo and Soroti.
In western Uganda, schools in Hoima, Mbarara, Kabarole and Kabale districts will be inspected.
The inspections were triggered by the wave of fires that engulfed schools since the Budo Junior School inferno in April in which 20 pupils were killed. In the three months that followed, more than 20 schools were burnt.
The official said the inspectors were not only looking at safety conditions, but also the quality and legality of the schools in the country.
The education ministry’s publicist secretary, Aggrey Kibenge, said the ministry had allocated sh3.5b towards the programme.
The ministry and the standards agency are using the provisions of the Education Act 2008, and the Public Health Act, CAP 281, to mount the inspections .
The standard agency’s director, Moses Otyiek, said: “All schools that do not meet the minimum standards will be closed with immediate effect.â€
When asked about the fate of students and pupils that are about to sit for their final national exams, Otyiek said the schools that were closed did not have national exam centres.
On interrupting their classes, he said: “It was unavoidable. We want to maintain safety and educations standards of all our children in schools.â€
Out of the 398 schools that were closed last week, 90% of them were not licensed, he said.
However, by yesterday, 23 schools that had been closed were allowed to open. They included Kawempe Junior, Kasozi Standard, Sovenior Mixed, Kawempe Mixed, Chardwick Namate, and Mbuga primary schools.
Others were Shiperoi Nursery and primary School, Kalinabili primary School, Mansuru High, Green Star, Lungujja primary School, Tree Shade primary School, M.B. and Ntumwa primary schools.
Cardinal wamala s.s. and St James primary school were also re-opened.