Violent Kyambogo students suspended

By Anthony Mugeere Uganda Polytechnic of Kyambogo (UPK) students realised that it is not easy to achieve their demands through violence. As they resumed their protest against cost-sharing, the Ministry of Education and Sports responded by sending them home until recalled. The ministry was irked by the students' behaviour, notably their refusal to enter into dialogue with the college administration. Officials were also angered by the way the rowdy students beat up a staff member and threatened the life of the principal, Dr. Basiima Mpandeh. Reports later said the ministry had reversed its decision after the students had agreed to talk. One, however, wonders whether the talks would provide a lasting solution to the students demands which include the scrapping of the sh70,000 charged by the Polytechnic administration as registration fees for new entrants. No more time to relax for the Senior One students to be admitted into secondary schools this year. The Ministry of Education and Sports says all students would be required to study 17 subjects from S1-2 and then opt for 10 subjects from S3-4. John Agaba, the assistant commissioner in-charge of secondary education says the days when most private secondary schools only choose to teach arts subjects while neglecting the sciences are now over. Speaking of students joining Secondary School, it appears there is need for more planning than just emphasising the teaching of all subjects. President Yoweri Museveni says the number of pupils sitting for the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) is to increase from 300,000 every year to one million in the year 2003. Planners should also tackle the challenge of building more secondary schools and technical colleges in order to absorb the 'PLE graduates'. By Friday we were still awaiting the government policy statement on the staff ceiling in primary schools. Reports said government had realised that a teachers' ceiling was critical as new schools come up. The amended guidelines were released by the ministries of Education, Finance, Public Service, Local Government and Health. 71 primary school headteachers in the district had, however, received their transfer letters in a shake up aimed at improving efficiency and balancing the rural-urban teaching manpower, according to the District Education Officer, Tembo Kabantito. Over 70 acres of land in Entebbe had also been preserved for tree planting this year to help schools meet their wood-fuel demands. Ends