Private schools ask for dialogue as minister threatens to close those flouting guidelines

Private Teachers and schools under the umbrella group National Private Schools Educational Institute Association (NPEIA) have asked the Minister for Education Janet Museveni to first look into the financial challenges they face while providing education services to students they before issuing the new directives. The request was put forward by chairperson Kampala district private schools Hasadu Kirabira.

Kirabira put forward the private schools position after the education minister Janet Museveni announced that all schools that lack licenses, increase school dues and lack adequate buildings should not reopen. First Lady Janet Museveni reiterated this at the release of the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) results last week.

However, private school proprietors have asked Museveni to consider the many challenges their sector faces.

They also asked Museveni to reopen the schools tribunal where school heads can appeal against closures or respond to complaints about their services from their clients who are students and parents.

Kirabira and others under the umbrella group National Private Schools Educational Institute Association (NPEIA) have called upon the minister to consider them as partners with government that are there to deliver services to fellow Ugandans.

‘’We are here to advise and our main concern is to ask government not to close our schools because even the money we use to run these schools we borrow it from banks.’’

The teachers have also warned government against introducing new curriculum every few years as causes confusion in the education sector.

He explains that, ‘’We are advising the ministry against introduction of new curriculums in schools that do not last for long because children have challenges learning the new curriculum which leads to poor performance."

The teachers note some of the new topics that have been introduced in the last three to five years include sex education, teaching children in local languages, Chinese language. They want the education ministry to evaluate how they are being integrated into the Ugandan education system.

He adds, ‘’We are seriously advising the ministry of education to carry out consultations on sex education before it’s applied in schools."

The private owners also blames government private department for not working but just come to solicit money from them threatens to ask government remove them.