The leader of the People’s Government Dr. Kizza Besigye has today intimated that he is going to work with various stakeholders in ensuring that all children return to school.
“I am going to be engaging the various stakeholders to see how we can build the necessary pressure to ensure that these policy shifts actually take place,” he vowed.
He disclosed this during his People’s Government weekly briefing dubbed “State of Governance in Uganda” on Thursday September 24, 2020.
Speaking today, Besigye said that while the central Government had made strides to partially re-open the education sector, guidelines that are being mooted should not be turned into an impediment.
He said that authorities should devise an all encompassing plan on how to fully re-open education institutions where students can be safely restrained from catching the Coronavirus.
Besigye argued that this is much safer than leaving youngsters to loiter aimlessly in their communities where they can catch Covid-19, well knowing that they fall in the vulnerable category.
“It is safer for our children to be in a school environment where they can be regulated, controlled and those who fall sick can be promptly treated,” he argued.
Once this is done, Besigye retorted, the next step is to ensure that there is a proper feeding program and facilities such as sick bays are up and running.
Furthermore, he punched holes in the Education Ministry’s plans to prioritise online education and homeschooling, saying the propagators of such measures are totally detached from reality.
“Can the Ugandans we all know afford homeschooling? Again, the people who talk about these concepts are detached. Which homes have the money to pay for the internet having talked about the current socio-economic situation?” Besigye posed.
That aside, he also queried the Government for delaying to fully reopen key sectors of the economy under the guise of reducing the spread of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.
Rather, he advised them to come up with a compelling communication plan other than using coercive means.
“Let everybody understand their personal responsibility. We must emphasize conscientious discipline amongst our people. And this is achievable by first of all not being amongst other people when you are not putting on your mask and putting it on properly,” Besigye implored.
Short of this, he warned, Uganda’s economy will nosedive and citizens shall bear the consequences for years to come.