Minister of Education Janet Museveni has said that government should not be blamed for children who are getting pregnant at home, saying that this should be parents’ responsibility.
The minister said that if parents have abandoned their roles of making sure that their children are safe at home, then this should never be blamed on government.
Janet Museveni made these remarks while addressing the press at the Nakasero State House on Friday.
“Parents must also rise up and play their own role, because it is a shame. How can we really make schools the safe haven for children who have families? What is happening to our families?” Janet Museveni asked.
Schools across the country have been closed since June 18, 2021. Lower classes have not reported back to school since last year when COVID-19 first struck.
A number of stakeholders have been pressurising government to re-open to save the lives of children, who they say are getting pregnant at home.
But Janet Museveni said that the homes should be made safe for children by parents.
She added that government is not keeping schools closed to punish anyone, saying the intention behind the closure is to prioritise lives.
“We consider the lives of our children more important than even education because education comes to those who have life,” she said.
Adding, “When you no longer have life, you cannot have education or anything else.”
Janet Museveni said that it is better to delay the education for living people, and when this (Covid-19) has passed, people can go to school.
She said that school reopening is not a responsibility of her ministry alone, because they need to get a green light from the National Covid-19 taskforce.
President Museveni in an address last month said that primary and secondary schools will reopen in January 2022.
The president allowed tertiary institutions and all post secondary schools to reopen with effect from November 1, 2021.
The education minister said that her ministry is still in consultations and the exact date for reopening of primary and secondary schools will be revealed to the public soon.
