The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, has urged the Ministry of Education and Sports to provide the necessary support to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the Education sector, especially those setting up institutions of learning in rural areas.
According to Oulanyah, government does not have enough resources to reach all areas in the country, hence the need to support NGOs to fill the gaps.
He was speaking after commissioning Bwogero Community Primary School in Sembabule district on Tuesday, 30 October, 2018. The school was constructed with support from an NGO, Building Tomorrow.
Oulanyah said that if it was not for such an organization, it could have taken government some time to construct a school in Bwogero.
He however raised concern that it is unfortunate that the Ministry of Education is hesitant to support initiatives of NGOs.
“May this act of Building Tomorrow change the attitude of those in the Ministry of Education. May they begin to see that this is not a competition, but a complimentary effort and all they must do is to support you,” said Oulanyah.
He was quick to add that despite limited resources, government has registered successes in improving the education sector in the country.
Oulanyah advised parents to take advantage of the availability of educational institutions countrywide and ensure their children maximize on such benefits.
“It is only through education that the sons and daughters of a poor person can become a doctor, it is only through education that the son of a local person can become an engineer,” said Oulanyah.
He asked the people of Sembabule to reject situations which promote instability and instead promote peace, if they are to enjoy benefits of development in the country.
“It is our collective responsibility to protect the peace and stability brought by the NRM government. If anybody comes to Sembabule and says that let us riot, stop that person. Our past has been so bad that we don’t want to ever go back there, let us protect what we have,” said Oulanyah.
The MP for Mawogola County, Hon. Joseph Ssekabiito Kitayimbwa encouraged parents to embrace education, saying that it is the only weapon that can change the world.
“A man called Malcom X said the password to the future, is education,” said Sekabiito.
The Country Representative, Building Tomorrow, Joseph Kaliisa Bagambaki requested the District Education Officer Sembabule, to provide the necessary supervision to schools for sustainability.
“We do not have enough resources, but if schools are given the right supervision, they will be able to provide the right education to children,” said Kaliisa.
The Head Teacher of Bwogero Community Primary School, Mohammad Bukenya, said the enrollment of pupils in the school has increased.
He however cited shortage of accommodation for teachers as one of the biggest challenges faced by the school administration.
“The teachers walk long distances to school. Parents have been able to make bricks for construction of teachers quarters but we need more support,” said Bukenya.
Bwogero Community Primary School is a government seed school which was started in 2014 with children studying mostly under trees.
