Man held over denying his children education

By Moses Bikala

A 34-year-old man in Luuka district is being held by the Police over failure to enroll his 15 children in school under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme.

Patrick Lubanga, a resident of Butala village in Bulongo sub-county, was arrested on Saturday after it was reported by the area residents that he was using the 15 children as casual labourers on his threeacre sugarcane plantation.

The children are between the ages of three and 13. David Kyerekyizibu, the area LC1 chairman, said Lubanga had always confined the children in one place and never allowed them to move out of his home after work.

Charles Nyongesa, the officer in charge of Luuka Police Station, said Lubanga will serve as an example to other parents who are doing the same.

He said Lubanga would be arraigned in court to answer charges of sabotaging government programmes.

Nasabu Nantale, the district education officer, said over 4,000 pupils in the district have this year dropped out of UPE to go and work on sugarcane plantations.