Over 300 private owned Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools in Kabarole have protested the Ministry of Education and Sports directive not to open for first term 2017 without an operational license.
The Ministry Permanent Secretary Alex Kazooba on 31st January 217 wrote to the Chief Administrative Officers, town clerks, Executive Director KCCA and RDCs directing the immediate closure of all unlicensed private primary and secondary schools which are not certified.
Reading the directive on Friday to the directors of private primary and Secondary Schools, Mr.Ogwang Godffrey Okello the deputy Chief Administrative Officer warned all schools without operational license not to open for the term today.
However, this was sternly protested by school directors and head teachers in the meeting at Kitumba district headquarters.
Charles Musana, a private school director of said the ministry’s decision comes at a warning time when schools are ready to open arguing that they would have issued warnings in September last year.
He explained that they have already registered new pupils and prepared to start the new term adding that if implemented, the directive would inconvenience learners and parents.
Cornelius Kamwesige said some school directors submitted their documents to the ministry for approval but two years down the road there is no response.
Another director Alice Mbambu Alice asked the education officials to offer them a six months grace period to enable the directors sort themselves and have their schools registered.
On his part, Joseph Rujumba, the Kabarole District Inspector of Schools said majority of the schools were operating in a hazardous and unfriendly environment like rented rooms near bars and with no pit latrines, something he says compromises the quality of education and performance.
Mr. Patrick Rwakaikara the DEO said, “ There are over 300 nursery, primary and secondary schools operating in the district but only 22 are registered or licensed by the Ministry of Education and sport”.
He revealed that some schools have operated without license for over 20 years.