Cheating private schools to close

By A. G. Musamali Private schools that fail to pay their teachers will be closed down by Government, a senior education official has said. And a Makerere lecturer has called for the establishment of a tendering system for organisations and individuals who wish to set up new private schools in specific areas. John Agaba, Principal Education Officer in Charge of Private Schools, Ministry of Education and Sports said that non-payment of teachers' salaries for six or more months means that the school ownership does not have capacity to run such institutions, contrary to government standing regulations. He said that the ministry had received numerous complaints from teachers who demand arrears of pay for very many months. Agaba said such teachers sometimes remain silent for long because they fear losing their jobs, and that often when they show signs of discontent, they are sucked and newer workers recruited only to be subjected to the same mistreatment. Proprietors of such schools would be investigated by the ministry and if the allegations are found true, the institutions would be closed down, Agaba warned. Ends.