Sarah Nakabuye, the headteacher of Masaka School for Children with Special Needs-Ndegeya says that although the biggest percentage of their learners have returned, the school is constrained due to financial challenges.
Special Needs Schools are
struggling to operate due to the delayed release of funds by the government. Special Needs Schools resumed their
operations on January 10th, 2022 following the nearly two-year closure
of schools to contain the spread of COVID-19.
However, more than two
weeks after the resumption of studies, the schools are yet to receive funding
from the government for their operations. Some of the affected schools are Mbale
Secondary and Vocational School for the Deaf in Mbale district, Ndegeya School
for Children with Special Needs in Masaka city, Misanvu Special Needs Education
Unit in Bukomansimbi district, and Entebbe
Children’s Welfare Primary School among others.
Sarah Nakabuye, the headteacher of Masaka School
for Children with Special Needs-Ndegeya says that although the biggest percentage of their
learners have returned, the school is constrained due to financial challenges. She
reveals that the school is yet to receive their capitation and special grants
from the government yet parents are also less supportive to the learners.
//Cue in: “we have not
yet…..
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part,”//
Luganda
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ezo….
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kitukosezza,”//
Sister Rose Nelima, the headteacher for Mbale
Secondary and Vocational School for the Deaf has also decried the delayed
release of funds, saying it is
hampering the school operations including key priorities such as rehabilitation
of structures, clearing of accumulated utility bills, and purchase of instructional materials and food among others.
She has appealed to the government to urgently address their plight to
enable them effectively offer services to students. Sister Nelima
says that although they are still waiting for other students to report back, the school needs the money to make all the
necessary preparations for effective teaching.
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in: “they are still….
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received,”//
Paddy Khauka, the Mbale District Inspector of
Schools, says
that they have notified
the ministry of education about the challenges which promised to address them in a short while.
Similarly, Alice Kyamiza Basaza, the headteacher of Entebe
Children’s Welfare Primary School says that they have also not received funding.
She
however indicates that in their case, the delay to access funds is partly
attributed to the late constitution of the School Management Committee, which is supposed to grant her permission to their bank account.
//Cue in: “capitation
grant….
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back,”//
In Kampala, managers of schools for Children
with Special Needs are reporting a
low turn-up of learners, which
they blame on the parent’s
low attitude to the education of children in this category.
Juliet Mary
Tumuhairwe, the headteacher of Ntinda School for the Deaf, says
that before the lockdown the school had 217 pupils but so far only 165 have reported back.
Pius Oketcho, the headteacher of Mulago School for
the Deaf, says that out
of the population of 207 learners
they had before lockdown, 110 have so far returned. The parents of the remaining children are still
giving excuses of financial constraints.
Kirinya Ayubu is the URN Bureau Chief of Elgon/Bukedi Sub Regions . He holds a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Islamic University in Uganda and a Diploma in Computer Science and Information Technology from the same University.
