Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda, the director of education standards, says they have noted that some schools which were formally registered as a day or day and boarding have closed the day section pressurizing learners to either join the boarding section or seek admission elsewhere.
The Ministry of Education and Sports has cautioned public and private
schools against forcing learners to join the boarding sections.
Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda, the Director of Education Standards, says they have
noted that some schools which were formally registered as a day or day and
boarding have closed the day section pressurizing learners to either join the
boarding section or seek admission elsewhere.
Dr Turyagyenda says though some of these schools are private
entities, they are bound by regulations from the ministry of education and
cannot just take a decision contrary to the license issued to them.
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She adds that some of the schools forcing learners into boarding
sections are officially categorized as day schools but have since turned some
of the classrooms and nearby apartments into dormitories which against the
rules.
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While announcing the reopening for candidate classes last year,
the government issued a circular guiding that a school could not have the two
sections of learners at the same time.
At that time many schools categorized as day and boarding opted
for one section with most of them running as boarding. The guideline however
affected several parents who could not afford boarding section fees and
requirements.
According to the revised school operation procedures, a school
categorized as day and boarding were told to operate as such without letting
day scholars interact with students in the boarding section but, schools have
refused the option.
For instance, Bishop’s Senior School, where about 70 percent of
the enrolled learners have been commuting from home decided to shut the day
section. The decision has attracted protest from parents.
Some school administrators noted that it will be difficult for
them to meet the requirement for operating as day and boarding.
Aron Balinda, Dean of academics at Kisaasi College, noted that
schools have opted to remain operating as boarding as they can’t afford to
prevent the day students from interacting with those in boarding as the
guideline requires.
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However, Alex Kakooza, the Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary, notes if
schools officially categorized as day and boarding can decide to teach both
sections in shifts where learners from one section study either in the morning
or afternoon.
Kakooza adds that such schools can as well opt for alternate day
attendance schedules where different sections of the school attend on alternate
days as deemed appropriate in a bid to ensure that numbers are manageable.
