By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The Prime Minister, Rt Hon Ruhakana Rugunda has been grilled by angry legislators over delayed schools reopening till Speaker Kadaga rescued him by directing him to go and prepare himself and come back to parliament with a clear government position on the above case.
READ ALSO: COVID-19:Ministry Of Education Sets Stringent SOPs Ahead Of Schools Reopening
This followed concern by Bulamogi County Member of Parliament, Hon. Kenneth Lubogo who wondered why government should not declare a ‘dead’ school year in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lubogo raised the concern during a plenary sitting chaired by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga on Tuesday, 15 September 2020.
READ ALSO: Janet Museveni Tasks Finance Minister Kasaija To Release Capitation Fund For Reopening Of Schools
He said that schools and institutions of higher learning have been closed since the outbreak of the coronavirus in March, to protect the students against the disease and that there was unclear communication on the reopening of schools which had made parents, students and proprietors anxious.
“Ever since the outbreak of Covid-19, there has been mixed communication from the Ministry of Education. In June, there was an announcement on the resumption of schools for candidate classes. Recently, there was another announcement that schools will reopen for candidate classes. If we open for only candidate classes, what will happen to the other students who are not candidates?” Lubogo asked.
READ ALSO: UCC Students Given Two Weeks To Prepare For Online Exams After Museveni Okays Reopening Of Schools
Hon. Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga (NRM, Mukono South) said school proprietors have been left anxious due to contradictory statements from government in regard to reopening of schools.
“We are getting a lot of difficulty. Most of the teachers do not stay in our communities. Some of them were recalled, only to be told by the Minister for Information, that the information was not valid until issued by the President,” Ssenyonga said.
READ ALSO: COVID-19:Museveni Issues Fresh Directives To Taskforce Before Reopening Of Airport & Schools
Kadaga said there was need for government to have a common position in regard to re-opening of educational institutions.
“This calls for the Prime Minister to come and clarify the government position. One Minister says one thing and another Minister says another. Let the Premier Minister come and explain,” Kadaga said.
READ ALSO: COVID-19: Museveni Receives Final Report From MOES On Schools Readiness To Reopen
The Speaker added that Parliament will need to have a detailed discussion about the education sector in the presence of the Minister of Education and Sports.
