By Nyakagyeme.
Rukungiri –The minister of Security Rtd Maj.Gen. Jim K Muhwezi has directed authorities in Rukungiri District to arrest head teachers of government schools who send learners home for fees.
During the community dialogue ( Baraza meeting )that took place at Nyakinengo health center 2 in Nyakinengo parish Nyakagyeme sub- county Rukungiri district , Minister Muhwezi vowed to deal with all school administrators with a habit of chasing pupils back home to look for school fees.
“All government programs are free of charge. Should you be caught chasing pupils away from school you will face it hot kindly let our young innocent Ugandans study because the government pays each and every thing that a learner needs to study “Minister Muhwezi said.
Minister Muhwezi added “because of you (school administrators) the rate at which school going children are dropping out of school is increasing due to the high fees charged by government schools, which many parents cannot afford “.
He said the President instituted Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) to ensure all children can go to school.
” I know we have poor children who can overcome their circumstances and succeed in life through education. If you continuously keep on sending these children home due to school requirements, how will they change their stories?. I therefore direct the office of the RDC, DISO and GISO to work hand in hand and arrest whoever is caught chasing away learners from school because of school fees yet the government pays.” Minister Muhwezi said.
According to minister Muhwezi, the act of chasing away learners from school negatively affects the performance of learners in examinations.
“Let the head teachers deal with the parents but keep the learners in school because it’s a government policy,” he says.
His comments followed an appeal by some parents who told the minister during the community dialogue that they are tired of school head teachers chasing their children back home due to school fees.
‘’ Every morning we send children to school and we also leave our homes for other duties but within one minute we see them getting back from school that they have been chased because of school fees yet you tell us every day that the government pays school fees for our children. So is it true that gov’t pays or we should pay by ourselves ‘’. Mr Paul Twinomujuni asked.
It was from this point the minister ordered for the arrest of all school head teachers found collecting school fees from learners saying that all government-aided schools are free.
The minister said H.E the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni also directed that no illegal charges should be entertained in all government-aided schools in the country.
“There are some challenges that threaten to reverse the gains we have made. Why are you against government programs? We have established that illegal school charges are some of the drivers hindering the development of our country. So to solve this, we banned all these charges. They are illegal,” Minister Muhwezi said.
He reminded the Head teachers the reasons behind the establishment of Universal education at both Primary and Secondary levels which was to help the less privileged to also attain education.
“ Teachers, let us not forget that one of the reasons the Government introduced free primary education is that many parents could not raise schools for their children. So, reintroducing school fees defeats the purpose of introducing UPE and drives children out of school,” He noted.
The minister said parents only have a role of feeding their children while at school and providing other scholastic materials like books, pupils and uniforms but they should pay even a single coin at school as fees.
“The Education Act, 2008, places the responsibility of feeding school children on parents. So I urge parents to fulfill this responsibility,” Minister Muhwezi said.
He also cautioned the head teachers against sending away students or pupils because of lunch because this was the responsibility of parents not the children.
“You have an arrangement with parents at school but you have no powers whatsoever to chase away students because of lunch. These schools belong to the government, not you,” Minister roared.
The minister asked the Head teachers to love their country by doing their work but also asked them to value the jobs they had because many people were jobless outside there and in need of such jobs.
‘’ I encourage you ( Head teachers )to also start up income generating projects as a side income especially in agriculture so that they don’t only rely on salary and resorting to charging parents.’’ He said.
Apparently , Minister Muhwezi who doubles as the Rujumbura county member of parliament in Rukungiri district is in the county holding community dialogues intending to address gaps in service delivery.
