The Mbarara district security officers yesterday convened a meeting to discuss action against school heads that defied a Ministry of Education directive against operating without license.
Ahead of the opening of the new academic term, the ministry instructed Chief Administrative Officers, District Education Officers and local government officers to implement closure of schools that were found without operating licenses and those operating below minimum school standards.
Mbarara DEO Mr. Gabriel Ahimbisibwe however, called an impromptu security meeting after it emerged that majority of the closed schools defied the directive and opened for business.
The meeting involved sub county chiefs, school inspectors, GISOs, the DISO and the RDC.
The officials were told in the meeting that out of 146 schools that were closed in the district, only 20 have complied.
The DEO Ahimbisibwe said that the ministry’s order was stubbornly challenged by the political wing, especially LC 3 chairpersons who decided to stand with the closed schools.
During the meeting, Mbarara RDC Capt. Martha Asiimwe warned that an order from the central government cannot be overlooked by local council leaders.
Some of the defiant schools include Day Star P/S, Mother Care P/S, Christian P/S, California P/S, Kagwisagye memorial school, Bwizibwera Parents P/S, Rutoma Parents P/S, Bwizibwera Standard P/S, Victorious P.S among others.