BY S KWAGALA: Schools heads are calling upon continued government financial support with a reminder that post -covid effects are still existent .
One of the outstanding effect is the level of debt schools got into as a result of the covid-19 lock down and yet upon reopening, the schools needed to bounce back into business as quick as possible.
Uganda within East Africa had the longest national lock down affecting schools , nearly a year long season in 2019.
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During this time , all physical school activity was paralysed keeping learners and teachers in their homes .
Upon reopening, the government asked that schools carry on with school fees from learners that had been paid shortly before the closure ,as well as maintain the rates even when the costs of things had gone up.
According to Elizabeth Onen ,the Headteacher Kitante Hill Secondary School , keeping the school afloat has been possible through her Board of Governors who she turned to for financial support in moments of crisis.
“It was a stormy period , we had to keep the school alive , maintain it , sustain the workers and run projects . I had to turn to my board of governors and we were able to do somethings.”
The school was able to resiliently build a new office for the headteacher , acquire a school bus and pay workers.
Stephen Egesa , the Director Gavin Junior School Nalumunye , a community school noted that he was relying on private sponsorship to
run his school .
Egesa urged local leaders in his community on behalf of government to mobilise financial support to the vulnerable children in the community under the Junior school.
The school heads want the government to increase their budget towards schools inorder for debts to be cleared. They pointed out that even if it’s two years later since Covid-19 emergency season, effects are still felt .
In response,however, the state minister for higher education Dr John Chrysestom Muyingo has reassured the proprietors that the government is well aware and committed to support the schools all the way.