Guild Presidents Out to Remind Education Minister of Demands Before the 30 Days’ Ultimatum Ends

Guild Presidents across the country have held another joint meeting with an appeal tasking the Ministry of Education to review the recovery and post Covid-19 response plan for reopening of the Education institutions

“Despite your efforts towards calling upon teachers, learners to go for vaccination, we have identified several gaps that require serious attention of the ministry to be addressed As a country. Uganda can only be as good its education system, thus invoking a comprehensive timely plan implies that the policies of education shall apply in a just and fair manner to all citizens, the rich and the poor, the public and private schools and the higher and lower education institutions,” the leaders stated in a letter.

The purpose of this letter was to draw attention to the Education Ministry about the 30 days’ ultimatum demands as communicated in a press conference held last month (Aug 23). These included;

1. Issuing out a comprehensive timely plan for mass vaccination of students and teachers within 30 days.
2. Bridging the funding gap by availing resources geared towards the reopening of schools. This involves supporting schools with personal protective equipment and upgrading their health infrastructure.
3. Bailing out private institutions including the provision of stimulus packages, tax waivers and increasing the funding of the public education institutions.
4. Issuing out the reopening dates for the education institutions, despite your fears to speak with confidence the reopening dates, fixing the dates will put all the stakeholders at task to work towards meeting requirements, otherwise, it remains wishful thinking.

Several reports in the media have highlighted many challenges that learners have encountered due to the continued closure of the educational institutions, and among others include: the 22.5% increase in pregnancy among girls aged 10-24, 34% girl child marriages before the age of 18, sexual exploitation that has exposed the young generation at high risk of contracting incurable infectious diseases. However, these are not new but have just been amplified by the covid-19 pandemic.

“We, therefore, call for urgent attention towards our demands as we hope for your positive feedback within the 30 days”, the Guild Presidents demanded in a letter signed as captured below;