13 schools in Mitooma remain closed

The future of 13 private primary schools in Mitooma district remains uncertain after failing to fulfil requirements in implementing the standard operating procedures (SOPs) against COVID-19. One secondary school is also affected.

The district education officer, Peace Barungi, said apart from the above, 95% of the schools have opened after fulfilling the requirements.

Barungi advised parents to take children to schools which have been allowed to open. "We cannot put the learners at risk," she said.

Barungi was on Wednesday briefing the Ruhinda North constituency MP, Thomas Tayebwa, district leaders and headteachers about the state of schools.

This was during a function to receive 200 temperature guns, 20,000 face masks, 400 face shields and 100 bacterial hand wash sanitiser jerrycans from Tayebwa at Bitereko sub-county headquarters.

The relief items are to help schools and places of worship in the prevention of COVID-19 as they reopen.

Tayebwa also handed over four computers to the teachers association and 10 wheelchairs to people with disabilities.

Barungi said: "Let us not be a burden to the Government because it has done its part and let us also play our role,"

Earlier, the headteachers had demanded for some risk allowance and increased funding to cater for feeding.

Tayebwa appealed to headteachers and teachers to be considerate, stressing that, "if there is anything that has disturbed President Yoweri Museveni, it is COVID-19. It has forced him to make hard decisions."

"Since it broke out, many of you have not been paying taxes, but you want the Government to pay you; where does it get money to pay you?" he wondered.

Tayebwa implored the old boys and girls of different schools to look back and bail out their young brothers and sisters during such difficult times.

"Let us not leave the entire crisis to the Government alone. We should try and be participatory," he appealed.