Cabinet Agrees To Open Universities, Candidate Classes To Wait Further

BY AWORI ESTHER LUCY

KAMPALA – Uganda|SHIFTMEDIA NEWS| Only University and Tertiary institutions will re-open amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Cabinet agreed on Monday. Candidates have another wait.

The Cabinet zeroed on universities on the basis of being in a position to observe the strict Standard Operating Procedures unlike their counterparts in the primary and secondary sections.

Dr. John Muyingo, the state minister for higher Education said phased roll out a phased of the education system will be given to 100 tertiary institutions and 50 Universities in the country.

“These are easier to manage without breaching Covid 19 measures relating to physical distancing requirements because they have fewer student numbers compared to Primary and Secondary schools,” he said.

Muyingo noted that unlike the primary and secondary schools, tertiary and Universities have more spacious accommodation facilities (Halls of residence and hostels) than secondary schools, thus making it easier to observe physical distancing requirements.

He said the cabinet ruled out the proposal to reopen candidate classes only describing the move as catastrophic.

Muyingo said allowing finalists (Primary 7 & 4 ) to seat yet Senior Ones and three haven’t been promoted would create a vacuum in the Education system. “What happens to children in S1 who remain unpromoted having had a dead year yet those of P7 went on to sit their examinations and were ready to enroll for Senior one? The same applies to S4s and even S6,” asked Muyingo.

The cabinet also tasked Finance Minister Matia Kasaijja to source for shs380 billion needed for 10 million sets of radios and TV sets to be distributed by government.

Muyingo observed that with the use of radios and TV sets, over  15 million learners particularly in primary and secondary schools, will study remotely without regular face-to-face contact with teachers in the classrooms or lecture rooms.

During his last address to the nation, President Museveni said that the government would purchase 10 million radio sets and Television for over 60,000 villages spread across Uganda.

Government plans to give each household a free radio set while the TV sets will be shared among communities in rural areas.

But most opposition politicians have castigated the government for the initiative describing it as a move by the ruling NRM government to campaign using the free radio and TV sets.