According to the policy of the Ministry of Education and Sports, a child is supposed to be in boarding section at the age of 13.
However, this has been defied by both parents and institutions.
Educationists attribute this to under looking the biggest tool of managing schools which is a strong inspection team which has prompted them to request for a policy review.
The biggest tool in managing schools is a strong inspection team at a national level working within districts, sub counties and municipalities.
According to Dr. Tony Mukasa Lusambu an education consultant and former commissioner Ministry of Education and Sports, the policy which directs the inspection function by the education ministry is being conducted by the education standards agency to ensure compliance of the policy and discipline in institutions.
Unfortunately, there is lapse in implementation.
Speaking to Johnson Kusiima Baingana the chairperson Bunyoro education inspectors, government policy prohibits all primary schools from having boarding learners.
However due to a number of circumstances, parents opt for boarding hence schools defying the policy.
Dr .Lusambu says that the policy should be reviewed and highlight the exact age at which children should be taken to boarding section.
Joseph Ssewungu from the education parliamentary committee, says if inspection wasn’t under looked, minors wouldn’t have been victims in school fires.
But the question is why would a parent take a four-year-old in boarding school?
Though inspectors insist that they perform their duties to the dot, educationists believe, they are heavy loaded due to the mushrooming schools making it a big task for government to deploy the required number of inspectors.
Though the policy imposes penalties like withdrawing licenses, no action is always taken.
Educationists say as although a lot has changed in the years, inspection should be collective responsibility right from the parents.
Education experts say if the loopholes and reluctancy in inspection isn’t strengthened these calamities are continuing to consume lives.
" Schools were always inspected thrice in a term’ and we do recommendations. Setting up committees to investigate the cause of the school fires have become the order of the day, without conclusive reports and substantial results," MP Joseph Ssewungu says.