Democratic Party's UYD wants 2020 academic year declared dead

POLITICS|EDUCATION|COVID-19

KAMPALA - Uganda Youth Democrats (UYD) has called on the government to declare 2020 academic year dead due to the effects COVID-19 on the education sector.

UYD is a group of young people who are members of Democratic Party (DP).

Their request comes after the Ministry of Education and Sports set October 15, 2020 as the date for all candidates in the country to return to schools.

UYD president, Ismail Kirya, said schools do not have finances to purchase equipment like temperature guns to adhere to the Ministry of Health Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on COVID 19.

Kirya made the call during the party's weekly press briefing at City house in  Kampala on Tuesday (October 13, 2020).

"If Government wants to curb the spread of COVID 19, it should not allow children to go back to school this year. Children should start school next year to complete their syllabus well," Kirya said.

He added that if the government finds it a must for children to return to school, it must extend financial help to schools to implement COVID-19 SOPs.

"Government collected over sh20b in cash donations during the pandemic. Some of these funds should be channeled to schools that are drowning in debts," he suggested.

Party boosts over funds

In the same briefing, DP revealed that it is to pay nomination fees for all aspirants for the post of Member of Parliament holding their party flag.

The party's National spokesperson, Okoler Opio Lo Amanu said they got funds from their friends they preferred to stay anonymous.

"We will reveal our funders in future. Throwing light on them would cause disruption of their businesses," he said.

He called on all those interested in representing DP constituencies on DP tickets to go to their offices for funds.

For those that have paid for nominations already, Amanu told them to take their receipts to the party treasurer for a refund.

DP is currently carrying out a campaign dubbed "Komawo Eka" meaning return home with an aim of attracting all their deserters to return back to back to the party.

In August this year, over eleven Members of Parliament of the DP block abandoned the party and joined Bobi Wine's NUP.