Minister warns on use of smartphones by children

State minister for primary education, Rosemary Sseninde has expressed concern over the access to smartphones by school going children, especially those in nursery and primary schools.

According to the minister, the access to smartphones exposes children to adult material such as pornography, which is not good for children their age.

"We need to protect our children from this kind of material, you leave your children with smart phones and they end up surfing all sorts of dirty stuff, this is bad," Sseninde cautioned.

Speaking during celebrations to mark 10 years of Little Muheji Kindergarten and Primary School in Nansana Wakiso district, Sseninde also castigated parents who don't monitor their children, and leave their parental role to house maids.

The minister also spoke ill about the dressing of the girl child, which she said children copy from their parents especially mothers.

On his part, Joshua Mubangizi, the director of Little Muheji appealed to the government to consider getting private schools rid of taxes saying they impact on their operations.

"Private schools, should not be charged income tax, with this kind of taxation, it will be hard for parents to afford education for their children," Mubangizi said.

He also implored President Yoweri Museveni to make good on his promise for a tax waiver on private schools saying it is overdue.

Rosemary Sseninde the state minister for education.

In 2006, President Museveni ordered the finance ministry to stop imposing direct taxes on private schools, saying they were playing a critical role in supplementing government efforts of educating Ugandans.

Supporting Mubangizi's outcry, Sseninde who is also a teacher by profession, said there is need for the government to take a decision on tax charged on private schools, saying it drains private schools.

"As a woman MP for Wakiso district and a teacher, I am ready to support you on this, private schools should not be charged taxes," Sseninde said.