By.Admin
Ugandan school owners are in great fear that the re-opening of schools might see a good number of learners and teachers not return to schools over the prolonged closure which has greatly impacted their lives ahead of school.
Speaking to Joseph Kigundu the chairperson of the national covid19 committee of private education institutions, he made it clear that the over five months learners and teachers have spent home has brought a huge change in their learning and teaching practice with many now already stressed and disinterested with things to do with learning and teaching.
Justus Mugisha the owner of standard high school Zana mentions that a very good number of school owners are chocking with bank debts coupled with high-interest rates which are growing on a daily basis and this has seen over 200 schools on the market for sell in order to service the bank loans are asking for the phased re-opening of schools starting with candidates.
Hajati Zawuja Ndifuuna Matovu the proprietor, Mbogo schools added that since the closure of the learning institution by the president in March, most teachers have lost their patience and resorted to doing petty jobs in the villages with many learners resorting to selling merchandise in the villages and on the streets of Kampala and other major towns across the country.
Still, Dr. Wako Muzinge Stephen the head of teachers and school proprietors in eastern Uganda confirms that over 60 female learners are pregnant with a number already married off by parents and others dealing in sugarcane selling and growing.
Learners engaged in sugarcane growing and selling are mainly seen in Kaliro and Kamuli districts which house two new sugarcane factories.
With all these developments across the country, teachers and school owners are calling for a phased re-opening of schools starting with candidates and later other classes after a study on how schools will manage learners.
The government through education and health ministries has drilled teachers and school owners on SOPs to be followed when the time to re-open schools comes.
It is estimated that private education institutions employees over three million teachers.
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