Kadhi stops headteachers from nominating SMC members

Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | The Luwero District Kadhi, Sheikh Ramadhan Mulindwa has stopped headteachers in Muslim founded schools against nominating members to School Management Committees-SMCs. This comes days after the Luwero District Education Officer; Florence Bbosa alerted foundation bodies and headteachers about the expired tenure of SMCs.

She explained that the three-year term for SMCs expired on December 31ts, 2020. She directed that new members be appointed to take over immediately. Schools are mandated to establish a 13 member SMC comprising six members nominated by the founding body. According to the Education act 2008, SMCs are mandated to manage schools, oversee the day to day administrations and conduct of the school by the headteacher among other roles. 

Sheikh Ramadhan Mulindwa, the Luwero District Kadhi has confirmed receiving the notification from the DEO and directed Imams and country sheikhs to handle the nomination of SMC members at the 34 Muslim founded schools in the districts. He says that in the past, headteachers usurped the roles of imams and went ahead to nominate SMC members whom they could compromise and mismanage school funds.

According to Sheikh, they have now directed Imams neighbouring the schools to take lead in nominating their six SMCS members and present them to his office for scrutiny before they are handed to headteachers for onward transmission to DEO for appointment. 

Mulindwa says that they want all SMC chairpersons to have the minimum qualification of the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education while the members should have at least the Uganda Certificate of Education-UCE.  He explains that this is meant to ensure that the right people are appointed and streamline the role of SMCs as mandated by the Education act 2008. Sheikh Mulindwa says that he will not hesitate to recall the name of any person nominated outside the specified procedures. 

Reverend Father Joseph Mary Sekalegga, the Kasana –Luwero Catholic Diocesan Education Secretary says that he will also meet all the headteachers in church founded schools to discuss the issue among others. Sekalegga has directed Parish priests to liaise with headteachers to nominate suitable candidates and forward their names to the DEO for appointment on SMCs.

Reverend Canon James Ebil, the Luwero Anglican Diocesan Education Secretary was unavailable to comment on the nomination of SMCs members in their schools. Boniface Ssentongo, the Chairperson of Luwero District Education Committee has welcomed the directive by Kadhi, saying this will stop the appointment of incompetent members and those who have overstayed. 

Ssentongo also asked the other religious bodies to adopt the Kadhi’s approach so as to ensure the right persons are selected for the tasks. 

Florence Bbosa, the Luwero District Education Officer says that she has no objection on the directives of the Kadhi and asked headteachers to cooperate with foundation bodies and submit the required names in time since their tenure was supposed to start on January 1st this year.

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