By Damba Rogers.
Following govt’s action to close all schools that don’t meet the required registration and licensing standards, now school owners under their body, Federation of non state education institutions are demanding that govt sets up a one stop center where school owners can go for registration and licensing of their schools.
A good number of schools across the country are facing closure on the directives from the education ministry as a means to crack down institutions that don’t meet the required standards of providing quality education to the next generation of Uganda.
According to the vice chairperson of the federation,Hajati Ndifuuna Matovu, the current registration and licensing process of schools used by the mother ministry is hectic making it hard for the school proprietors and the education ministry to fulfill what the whole process requires thus the laxity from the school owners plus the registration and licensing official.
Meanwhile, the secretary general of the federation,Patrick Kaboyo notes that most of the schools currently facing closure submitted their registration and licensing files to the education ministry but are surprised to fall victims. Kaboyoadds that the slow pace at which the process is handled has caused a back log leaving many schools un licensed.
He then calls for a better system that is computerized where private school owners are given slots to be part in the whole vetting process since they are the main stake holders.
The Vice chairperson, eastern region, Dr. Stephen Waako says, over 1000 schools country wide are affected by the closure with Mbarara having over 100, Iganga over 200 schools among other districts.
Dr. Waako continues to mention that this is affected learners and parents as they are left wondering where they are to study from as their schools are closed hence raising fears that the act is contributing to increased school drop outs.
The federation now demands that the ministry considers, decentralizing the licensing process, put in place a one stop center for licensing, distribute the role of registration and licensing, apply technology in the whole process and also calls for dialogue between the school owners to come to a logical conclusion on the matter.
For a school to be licensed and registered, the owner needs to move paper work right fromLC1, 11, 111, district health, education officers, and planners then to the education ministry.
Term one of the school calendar year 2018 kicks off today.
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