By Andrew Irumba
The newly appointed Resident City Commissioner (RCC) for Kampala Farinda Mayanja has issued a stern warning to all Schools in Kampala who are still operating without the necessary safety measures and guidelines that were issued by respective Government agencies like the ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Kampala Capital City Authority among others.
Accompanied by other her deputies; Herbert Anderson Burora (Deputy RCC Nakawa) and Ibrahim Kagorola (Makindye Div.) , while addressing the press at her offices on Nakasero road in Kampala last Thursday, Mayanja said they had launched the campaign against schools that don’t take precautionary safety measures to students but only aim at minting money at the expense of the students and their parents.
“We’re going to close schools which are not compliant. We’re warning them early so that they don’t say we ‘ambushed’ them. This is an early warning so that cum February next year at the beginning of new term, those without the required standards won’t be allowed to open,” she said.
When asked about what informed her decision to swing in action, Mayanja said they were taking lessons from recent school fire outbreaks that have claimed lives of innocent students, with the freshest being St.Benards Mannya SSS in Kifamba Sub-county, Rakai District where over 10 students lost lives on November 10th and scores are still undergoing treatment.
“We must not wait for catastrophes to happen for us to act, in 2006 over 13 students of Kabarole Islamic Primary School in Fort Portal perished, we talked and talked……now, over 10 students of St.Mannya have perished, should we wait for more for us to act?, I think time for talking is over, we must help our Mzei [President Museveni] because he will not be everywhere, that’s why he appoints us,” Farida said.
Farida also said that soon, together with her deputies in all Kampala Divisions and other line authorities like police among others, would start inspecting all schools in her territorial boundaries to assess whether those that were issued with closure notices for lack of minimum standards allowing them to operate have since made the necessary adjustments.
She also said they would be interested in the Hygiene and the general requirements issued by relevant authorities whether they’re being implemented by school administrators.
Recently, KCCA released a list of 48 nursery and primary schools in Kampala that would not be allowed to open for the first term unless they meet the required standards.
However,it’s said the said schools have been operating even without meeting the said set standards.
Sixteen of the affected schools are found in Lubaga Division, seven in Kawempe, seven in Makindye, ten in Central Division and eight in Nakawa.
The report showed that some of the schools lack toilets, classrooms or qualified teachers among others. The impromptu inspections at division level and other inspections were done by KCCA directorates such as health, physical planning and Education.
Now Farida said it’s time to act before the country is struck by yet more tragedies yet most are avoidable.
“Most of these problems can be avoided if we all work together. Actually this campaign we’re launching from Kampala is only because as you know everything starts from Kampala,but we’re going to spread it throughout the country through our networks of RDCs spread across the country,” she said.
President Museveni appointed Farida Mayanja to replace Aisha Kabanda who dropped the slot and joined Butambala MP race who later lost.
