Education Minister Janet Museveni, who’s also the first lady, has announced that the government is closing Bridge International Academies, a chain of low-cost primary schools, for not meeting standards.
The schools are popular with poorer families who believe they offer a higher standard of teaching than state schools in East Africa.
Some MPs have accused Bridge of promoting homosexuality.
MP Ssebagala said: “It is these international schools that end up teaching bad habits to children like homosexuality.”
Bridge International Academies has not responded to such accusations.
The school has appealed to Mrs Museveni to keep them open via their twitter handle @BridgeIntlAcads: “We are working with the MoE to protect the jobs of 800 Ugandans and futures of 12,000 Ugandan children. If Bridge closes, 800 dedicated Ugandans will lose their jobs. Calling on @JanetMuseveni to work with us to #KeepBridgeOpen.”
Ethics Minister Simon Lokodo said on Monday it “will continue to suppress” the public activities of homosexuals and that a rehabilitation programme had been developed to allow them to “lead normal lives again”.
Ugandan police last week arrested about 20 people attending a gay pride event at a nightclub in the capital, Kampala. They were questioned and released hours later, although some said they had been assaulted by police officers.
Homosexuality is criminalised in Uganda, as in many African countries. A colonial-era law proscribes such sex acts “against the order of nature”. Gay leaders say the LGBTI community faces discrimination, violence and extortion.
