The campaign codenamed “mobilize for quality education†is to review the main problems affecting the education sector. Key among them is the high school dropout rate, child labor, failure of parents to provide scholastic materials for their children and feeding.
The Uganda National Teachers’ Union-UNATU starts a nationwide campaign to improve the quality of education in Uganda.
The campaign codenamed “mobilize for quality education” is to review the main problems affecting the education sector. Key among them is the high school dropout rate, child labor, failure of parents to provide scholastic materials for their children and feeding.
Under the arrangement, UNATU is to ensure that pupils and students across the country receive provisions and quality education regardless of which schools they attend, a policy statement by the UNATU secretariat indicates.
James Tweheyo, the UNATU general secretary unveiled the campaign in Masaka and noted that is vivid that the quality of education especially in the rural public schools has kept on dropping each year, prompting an intervention by the professional body.
Tweheyo says that while the teachers are well aware of their professional mandate, there are still more underlying factors affecting learning in the country.
He further explains that the campaign will be used to mobilize community actors and remind all parties of their responsibilities towards ensuring that quality education is provided across the continent. UNATU also intends to monitor all students and emphasize that they stay in schools.
//Cue in; why do we ... ……
Cue out;……they deserve//.
Tweheyo says that they intend to ensure that all students regardless of their location, have access to quality education and capable of getting better grades.
//Cue in Luganda; Silaba lwaki…..
Cue out;…..bulungi//.
UNATU has also urged local leaders to enact by-laws to ensure progress of the campaign.
Alex Ssemwogere, the Rakai district UNATU chairperson welcomes the campaign saying that it will help keep in check some teachers who are fond of administering corporal punishment on students. He says such punishments force children to stay out of school.
He however showed worry that the implementation of the policy may be affected by the high numbers of child-headed families in some parts of the country that are affected by HIV.
He explains that such families will need a government intervention to provide financial assistance, if they assume these children to continue pursuing education.
John Bosco Kimbugwe, head teacher at Bumanji Primary school, in Kalangala district says that that much as they are determined to assure quality education in the country, the government is also challenged to facilitate the schools with the needs it ought to.
He says that some children still have to trek long distances to schools and demands that government evenly distributes schools, teachers and learning aids all over the country.