Government is at a deadlock with procuring radios and television sets as directed by the President of Uganda, to enable remote learning of students amid the Coronavirus pandemic
According to a source at the Ministry of Education, there was no money budgeted for the learning equipment in the financial year ended Tuesday, and plans for the procurement of the equipment are still hanging in balance.
The source explains that Cabinet had instructed Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary (PS), Alex Kakooza, to collaborate with the Finance department to find a way they would raise shs. 300Bn to avail 10 million radios to be distributed to each household countrywide and 137, 466 solar-powered television sets to villages.
“The PS has been working with Ministry of Finance to make sure money will be available. After they have confirmed that money will be available, they will start the procurement process,” the source told Campus Bee.
The State Minister for Higher Education, Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo, said Cabinet approved the plan to purchase radios but is still looking for a source of the money.
“Finance is talking with Education. Whatever they will have come up with, they will have to come back to Cabinet. That means they will have identified where the money is going to come from,” Dr Muyingo said in an interview.
It is now two months since the President made the announcement to buy 137,466 solar-powered TV sets and another 10 million radios to cater for 15 million learners across the country.
