Minister of Education Janet Kataaha Museveni has said that the continued school closure is God’s will and learners ought to know “God’s perspective” on why they are at home.
Janet Museveni said that there are chances that, “God wanted children also to appreciate their parents’
work,” during this time when schools are closed.
The Education minister made these remarks in her weekly blog titled “Hi guys”
She said that, “If you (learners) had been hearing from God, you would have learned what God’s perspective was on school closure on COVID-19 and what His will for you was during the time you spent at home.”
Adding, “Is it possible that there are things you can only learn at home which you couldn’t learn while at school, things that He probably wanted you to explore while at home?”
Janet Museveni said that God’s perspective could be that families have failed to make time for other family members because everybody is too busy outside the home, and when the nations had these lockdowns, people had no option but to be at home with each other.
“When nations had these lockdowns, people had no option but to eat as one, talk to one another, and generally be together – what families were supposed to be and do in the first place!,” The minister noted.
She added that perhaps God wanted children also to appreciate their parents’ work, the work they struggle with to pay for their children’s needs, including Education.
“God could have made the children (the learners) act as interns to realize what skills they need at school to transform the communities where their parents strive to make a living; this then informs us how important this time was or would have been if all of us had accepted it with good hearts.”
Janet Museveni said that the time when schools are closed has also helped government to know how many families in Uganda do not want to have their children at home with some married off and others defiled by their relatives. She said that government did not know a number of things and this period has been used to analyse and plan for the future.
Schools in Uganda have been closed longest on the African continent according to a UNICEF report released in November, 2021.
Government recently announced that learners will finally return to school in January 2022, but there has not been a school reopening plan shared with stakeholders, with only three weeks to January.
