By Frank Kamuntu
Kampala: Following the closure of schools in March 2020, over COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has always via his numerous COVID-19 address promised that schools will be opened starting with finalists before September 2020, However this seems to be a flopped deal since till today the he has kept silent about the the real date to reopen schools.
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It is against this background that the Uganda National Students Association (UNSA) through the leadership of President Humphrey Chris Kakwiyakare, has petitioned President Museveni, the Speaker of Parliament, Minister of Health and Chairman Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) seeking clarity about the matter with in seven days.
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Read the petition in full;
“RE: PETITION FOR A CLARITY ON THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2020/2021
With due honor and diligence, I submit my request pertaining to the above matter in line with the duty of Ministry of Education and Sports.
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To join the rest of the world in the fight to curb the spread of COVID 19, the President of the Republic of Ugandan His Excellency Yoweri Museveni Kaguta on the 20 March, 2020 closed COVID-19 country but let all the police and military training schools opened as if those schools were in a COVID-19 free zone; but for purposes of ensuring continuity in having police and military human resources in keeping order and security, no objection was presented towards that directive by any agencies and that shows how discipline Ugandans are as far as national interests are concerned.
However, series of attempts both successful and unsuccessful have been made by the government to sustain home leaning: the government through the Ministry of Education and Sports have since then kept all the stakeholders in the education sector uncertain pertaining the reopening of schools amidst COVID-19 pandemic. In every news story in the news papers, they say “a source from the Ministry of Education and sports has said this that the reopening of schools” and another person whose name is withheld; in the COVID-19 National task force said this and that the claims blowing in the media about the reopening of schools. Surely, which package of information is meant for us and what is exactly on the ground ? what is the government’s stand?
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Truth must be told; we are tired of the “rumors and the uncertainties surrounding the academic year 2021; and it is on this ground that we give the President and Ministry of Education and Sports a Seven day ultimatum with effect from 16h September, 2020 to address the nation and clear the air pertaining the ending of schools or we call for a NATIONAL STUDENTS’ CIVIC DISOBEDIENCE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT WITH EMPHASIS ON THE PRESIDENT, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SPORTS AND THE PARLIAMENT; for their negligence to inform the citizens on the government’s stand on the education of Uganda; and to all the students, ENDESHINI MAPAMBANO.”
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