FDC demands for new full-time education minister because ‘mama’ is too busy

The FDC spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has said that the country needs a new ‘full-time’ minister of Education and Sports if the education sector is to be revamped.

Ssemujju, who is also the Kira Municipality MP said that the current Education minister Janet Museveni seems to be busy and ‘inaccessible’ at a time when education is in a crisis.

Ssemujju made these remarks while addressing the press in the party’s weekly press briefing at their Najjanakumbi offices.

"To meet the challenges the lockdowns have imposed on the education sector, the country needs a full-time minister who is ready to be in the field identifying problems and suggesting solutions," Ssemujju said.

Ssemujju said that if Janet Museveni’s ministerial appointment is one of the marriage gifts that President Museveni gave her as his wife, she should be transferred to a less demanding ministry.

“She is busy and inaccessible to handle this crisis. Mr Museveni can give his wife a less demanding ministry such as a ministry without a portfolio," Ssemujju said.

President Museveni in his address on Covid-19 last week on Wednesday said that post secondary education Institutions like universities and tertiary institutions can resume on November 1, 2021.

The president however kept the padlock on schools until January 2022, saying teachers and learners above 18 years need to be vaccinated up to at least 4.8 million in total before reopening.

Ssemujju, in his remarks said that FDC disagrees with this date because the education sector has been severely hit and needs to resume as soon as next month.

“We disagree with Museveni’s school opening date of January 2022. The education sector has been disoriented by lockdowns which require a transitional period to streamline it,” Ssemujju said.

Ssemujju said that as a party, they advise the Covid -19 National Task Force, Ministry of Education President Museveni to consider reopening primary and secondary schools this year.

"To enable students to sit for promotional exams. Schools can open as early as Mid -October to complete this academic year's syllabus," Ssemujju said.

Schools in Uganda have been closed since June 18, 2021 on the onset of the secondary wave of the pandemic.

A number of stakeholders have urged the government to have them re-opened but to no avail.

The Minister of Information Chris Baryomunsi said last week during the NBS Frontline that they will not be coerced into reopening schools because it is not safe yet.