Education is a child’s right
Feb 23, 2010
FROM THE EDITOR<br><br>Over 20,000 children have been withdrawn from school in eastern Uganda in the past five years. Although parents are withdrawing the children for spiritual reasons, their action amounts to sabotage of government policies.
FROM THE EDITOR
Over 20,000 children have been withdrawn from school in eastern Uganda in the past five years. Although parents are withdrawing the children for spiritual reasons, their action amounts to sabotage of government policies.
The persistence of the Injilli cult, in spite of the education ministry’s warnings, shows the cult’s teachings have been embraced at the grassroots.
Just like freedom of worship is enshrined in the constitution, a child’s right to education is also constitutional. The Education Act 2008 makes primary education compulsory for all children of school-going age. Local governments have been given the responsibility to develop by-laws to enforce this policy at district level. District leaders need to take this issue more seriously before it gets out of hand.
Arresting the cult leaders might not be a long-term solution to the Injilli problem. The cult has been in existence for over five years and more leaders might emerge to carry on with the mission.
District leaders need to carry out a sensitisation campaign at the grassroots. A problem of this nature is rooted in people’s attitudes. Such sensitisation, if well carried out through mass media, will help change the community’s attitude towards the Pupil Identification Number policy.
Over 20,000 children have been withdrawn from school in eastern Uganda in the past five years. Although parents are withdrawing the children for spiritual reasons, their action amounts to sabotage of government policies.
The persistence of the Injilli cult, in spite of the education ministry’s warnings, shows the cult’s teachings have been embraced at the grassroots.
Just like freedom of worship is enshrined in the constitution, a child’s right to education is also constitutional. The Education Act 2008 makes primary education compulsory for all children of school-going age. Local governments have been given the responsibility to develop by-laws to enforce this policy at district level. District leaders need to take this issue more seriously before it gets out of hand.
Arresting the cult leaders might not be a long-term solution to the Injilli problem. The cult has been in existence for over five years and more leaders might emerge to carry on with the mission.
District leaders need to carry out a sensitisation campaign at the grassroots. A problem of this nature is rooted in people’s attitudes. Such sensitisation, if well carried out through mass media, will help change the community’s attitude towards the Pupil Identification Number policy.