The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has urged the government to release a detailed plan of helping students from poor families with tuition.
Today, Universities and other Tertiary Institutions opened their doors to students after President Yoweri Museveni imposed a second lockdown. In June 2021 Museveni imposed a total lockdown on all major sectors of the economy. The lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
Usually universities demand full payment before exams. According to Semujju Nganda, the FDC party spokesperson said that rigid policy cannot work under this Covid-19 situation and the Minister for Education Janet Kataha Museveni should use the budget that has been allocated to her ministry in the last two years of lockdowns to help parents.
“Parents who pay fees must fully be briefed. We expect Museveni’s wife to be moving from radio to radio explaining her plan. Short of that, the country might be plunged in the chaos that engulfed the Entebbe International Airport at the introduction of mandatory Covid-19 testing for all arriving passengers,” he said.
“We demand for a similar plan for the reopening of the rest of the schools in January. Mr Museveni and his wife must prepare the country adequately and early enough. There are many schools that have been sold. Many teachers have abandoned teaching and some are in the Middle East working as domestic workers. Some school buildings have collapsed. Parents were laid off from their workplaces because of Covid-19 and have no money to pay fees and need help. These issues must be addressed.”
He said the Minister for Education and her team must be in the field identifying problems and providing solutions. It is clear that there is no plan and what Mr. Museveni and his wife are doing is just announcing dates.
