H/Ms Warned On Enrollment

HEADTEACHERS of schools with falling enrollments risk being sacked, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Mr. Francis Lubanga, has warned. Lubanga, while closing an induction course for the recently appointed secondary school headteachers at Mukono District Farm Institute on Friday, said the ministry would not tolerate any headteacher who increased dropout rate of students by charging high fees. "Headteachers of government schools should know that their jobs are tied to the growth of the school in terms of enrollment, performance and reputation in discipline," he said. "You have a barometer right in front of you. A headteacher who consistently registers reduced enrollment and poor performance will either retire or be forced out," he added. He warned of serious action against any headteacher who resisted transfer. Lubanga urged the headteachers to heed to President Yoweri Museveni's call to keep school charges low and to spend on items, which directly promote the quality of education. "There should be no reason for government-aided schools to charge the same fees as private schools when in fact, the government pays the salaries of teachers and provides capitation grant and other scholastic materials," Lubanga said. The two-week course was conducted by consultants from the Uganda Management Institute. Ends