Besigye calls for special fund for schools ahead of reopening

The leader of People’s Front for Transition (PFT) Dr. Kizza Besigye, has said the government should have plans of helping people and institutions that have been adversely affected by the pandemic.

He called for funding for schools and for teachers’ pay to be raised, asking the government to address the crisis in service delivery that has seen doctors strike for more than a month.

"We demand urgent interventions. We need a special fund to help schools reopen in 2022 to provide decent education services without compelling parents to pay lots of money. Money must be put in place to support schools to reopen," said Besigye.

Besigye made the remarks while speaking to the media at the end of year press conference in Kampala where he said his new movement, the PFT, will mobilize activists and the people of Uganda to cause action if government does not heed their call.

"It’s increasingly clear that many private schools were left to collapse under the burden imposed by lockdowns and many teachers have abandoned the profession and the impact of this on the whole education system is clearly very staggering," Besigye observed.

The four-time former presidential candidate said the crises in the health, education, security, and economic sectors among others are too big to be ignored.

Commenting on the recent Kayunga district chairperson by-election in which saw Andrew Muwonge, the NRM candidate declared, Besigye reiterated that elections can’t cause change in Uganda.