By Mary Asujo
The Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Anita Among has urged both government and private schools not to deny learners exams over non-payment of school fees.
Her call follows a concern by Kinkizi West MP, James Ruugi who said that as learners from different schools are planning to sit exams, some are in dilapidated structures and the Ministry of Education has no budget to rehabilitate classrooms.
“How does government expect the learners to sit their exams in classrooms which are in bad state because they are currently in temporary structures. We want the State House Anti corruption to appreciate the situation to be on board,” said Ruugi.
Ruugi also said that on the issue of remuneration, the science teachers have taken two months without pay and their counterparts the Arts are grappling with the imbalance in salaries. He added that teachers are not teaching because the morale is low.
State minister for Primary Education, Hon. Joyce Kaducu Moriku said that no single learner should be sent home especially the candidate classes over failure to pay school fees.
“We urge parents to work with the school heads on the matter of school fees and come up with a modality so that learners don’t miss their exams. I will take it up and we will ensure no learner is stopped from sitting exams,” said Kaducu.
Mayuge Municipality MP, Asuman Basalirwa also informed the house that the issue of learners being banned from sitting exams is not only in primary and secondary but also in higher institutions of learning.
“Aspects of blocking students are also in the higher institutions like universities. Try to consider the universities too because it’s also happening there,” noted Basalirwa.
Kalungu West Joseph Ssewungu applauded the Speaker for the informative survey from the public but wondered why the ministers never come to the house to respond to matters raised by legislators.
The Speaker asked government to ensure all the learners from the districts affected by Ebola districts sit their exams.
The issue of banning candidate learners or students from sitting exams has not been new in Uganda as every year. The Ministry of education in their effort to create a balance finds itself on the wrong side as school heads continue to defy the directive.
