Africa-Press – Uganda. As semi-candidates prepare to report to school next month following a one-year lockdown, some schools have cited challenges that might hinder implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) as a measure to minimise the spread of Covid-19.
In a mini-survey conducted by Daily Monitor countrywide, proprietors of some private schools say they lack funds to implement all the SOPs since they have been clearing loans.
Government asked schools to renovate their classrooms, buy temperature guns and observe social distancing, among other SOPs before reopening .
Some schools such as Tooro Parents Education Centre in Fort Portal City, Bakef Primary School in Kakumiro Town and Uganda Martyrs Primary School in Masaka City will only prioritise essential SOPs.
“Most students had not cleared fees at the time of lockdown so implementing some of those SOPs is going to be a big challenge. We want the children back to schools, but parents have no money. It will probably take us a year or two to recover,’’ Mr Chris Kasangaki, the resident director of Bakef Primary School, says.
At Kigalama Forward Secondary School in Namutumba District, the administration has only bought temperature guns and has started making more desks and renovating the buildings.
“We don’t have money to do what is required from us by the Ministry of Health. We are putting in place what we have managed to secure. We urge government to support private schools financially like it is with government schools,” Mr Alex Wamujwa, the school director, says.
Although President Museveni gave private schools about Shs20 billion last year as relief during the Covid-19 lockdown, the institutions are yet to receive the cash.
Mr Alex Kakooza, the Education permanent secretary, said then that government was still working on the modalities of distributing it.
“We are working out modalities with Ministry of Finance. When we are ready, we will call you,” Mr Kakooza said.
As they wait, some schools such as Global High School in Mbarara City are worried that they will be constrained.
“We have been washing hands, measuring temperatures and sanitising. We will continue with this arrangement. The challenge is that observing these SOPs is impacting on our already strained resource envelop. We are already overstretched by loans, we are now operating at 30 per cent capacity, the fees we get is spent on learners,” Mr Laban Kanywa, the director, says.
“I am worried that at some point some schools might relax on SOPs because of limited resources. Government needs to bail out schools, especially private ones, on some of these demands,” he adds.
While some schools are finding it difficult to enforce social distancing, Mr Wilson Byamukama, the head teacher of Ntungamo High School, says they will use a family approach to solve the problem.
“When they (learners) come, they will be screened and put under one family until the term ends. However, government should procure equipment for private schools because they are expensive. For instance, a foot operated washing facility costs Shs600,000,” Mr Byamukama says.
Relying on Govt
Most government-aided schools are relying on government to provide the SOPs as it did last year when candidates resumed classes.
Mr Tabugha Annest, the Kasese District inspector of schools, says government will provide money for all the institutions to buy items for SOPs.
In Bushenyi Ishaka Municipality, education authorities are currently inspecting and monitoring the schools to assess their preparedness.
Mr Dan Mugyenyi, the education officer, says government has given Shs1.5 million to each government-aided school to observe SOPs.
In Kyenjojo District, the head teacher of Nyakatoma Primary School, Mr David Angoza, says they are ready to implement the SOPs when other students report since they have all the requirements.
Mr Amos Ahimbisibwe, the head teacher at Bubaare Secondary School in Rubanda District, wants government to establish a special financial intervention to facilitate government schools to meet the overhead costs when semi-candidate classes open.
The director of Kisoro Vision Secondary School, Mr Dan Munyambabazi, says government should aid private school owners because they supplement government efforts.
“If the government can consider giving special grants to private school owners to buy hand washing equipment and detergents, it would be a great financial relief,” Mr Munyambabazi says.
The head teacher of St Kizito primary school in Tororo Municipality, Ms Clare Adikin Opoya, shares similar sentiments.
“The government should increase our grants so that we are able to buy required equipment such as temperature guns, masks, etc,” she says.
In Ntoroko District, where some parts are still soaked in floods since May last year, some schools are still submerged.
As a result, authorities have had to find alternative spaces that are already congested. Mr Benson Atujuna, the head teacher of Umoja Primary School, says government has not yet built them temporary structures as it promised.
“About 26 candidates who were at Umoja are now at Nyakasenyi Primary School studying but under congested classrooms. At night, students share beds because they lack space,” Mr Atujuna says.
In Bukomansimbi District, Mr Gervazio Ssenyonga, the head teacher of St Victor Secondary School, says they do have enough dormitories.
Mr Moses Buyera, the Mbale Secondary School head teacher, says they are to reopen for the semi-candidates.
“We have all the needed infrastructure. We also have hand washing facilities with sanitisers, temperature guns, among others,” he says.
Their counterparts at Mbale Progressive School and Kamonkoli College in Budaka Distirct are also ready to receive thr students
Ms Hellen Wataba, the head teacher of Tororo Girls School in Tororo District, says they will continue sensitising students on the need to wash hands and keep social distance.
“Although we have all the SOPs in place, we need to call on students not violate the guidelines,” she says.
The director of Kabale Brain Storm High School, Mr Erasmus Habasa, says, they have put in place all the requirements to ensure the safety of students.
“We have procured all the required hand-washing equipment and detergents. We have enough classroom space,” Mr Habasa says.
In Gulu City, some schools were implementing SOPs when Daily Monitor visited.
At Bucooro and Awach primary schools, a temperature gun, a record book, water and soap were in place.
Mr Lawrence Okumu, a teacher at Awach Primary School, told Daily Monitor that only learners are allowed at the premises.
At St Joseph College Layibi in Gulu City, the administration had provided sanitisers, hand-washing facilities and observed social distancing.
In Gulu Central, there is enough space since other classes are not yet opened, according to Mr Charles Otto, the director of the school.
“Classes, dormitories are in place and other basics such as sanitizer, soap is already in place,” he says.
Mr Richard Thomas, the head teacher of Wansolo Primary School in Apac District, says the school will hold a meeting with the parents of semi-candidates on Thursday on reopening.
“We already have a temperature gun but we are waiting for facilitation from the district to put in place more hand washing facilities and other facilities,” he adds.
Mr Sam Oyeng, the head teacher of Atopi Primary School, says their finance committee will hold a meeting to plan on how to extablish more facilities to handle the semi-candidates.
“Their numbers is slightly more than the candidates we are handling but we shall meet the minimum requirement to have them,” he says.
Learners asked to carry masks
Some school authorities have asked the learners to come with masks. At the government-aided Teso College Aloet, Mr Julius Opaso, the head teacher, says although implementing some SOPs is expensive, they were ensuring safety of the learners.
The head teacher of Mpanga Senior Secondary School in Fort Portal City, Mr George Ruyonga, says they are planning to buy more hand-washing facilities.
“On the issue of masks, each parent is required to provide two masks for each student and we have enough classrooms to keep social distancing. So we are ready for the next phase of reopening,” Mr Ruyonga says. In Moroto District, many schools are prepared to receive learners from lower classes. At Moroto Municipal Primary School, the management had set up several hand-washing facilities. “Everything is available and it’s a requirement that every learner must enter school with a mask,” Mr Daniel Engwau, the head teacher, says.
Compiled by Felix Basiime, Alex Ashaba, Steven Ariong, Robert Muhereza, Emmanuel Arineitwe, Leonard Mbishinzimana, Joseph Omollo, Mudangha Kolyangha, Fred Wambede, Moris Mumbere, Bill Oketch, Santo Ojok, Simon Peter Emwamu, Suzan Nanjala, Felix Warom, Robert Elema, Scovia Atuhaire, Alex Tumuhimbise, Ronald Seebe, Rajab Mukombozi, Elly Katahinga, Milton Bandiho & Gertrude Mutyaba.
