No need for radios, we want schools to reopen – Parents

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Several parents have insisted that the government reopens schools for learning instead of purchasing radios to be distributed to households.

In September, President Museveni ordered for the reopening of schools but only for candidate classes after more than six months of inactivity.

Museveni said that the Ministry of Education is going to ensure that the home-schooling programme is put up to ensure continued learning. The said learning will be through radio and television broadcast lessons on top of self-study materials that are going to be distributed.

He also said that plans are underway for government to provide at least 10 million radio sets to every household and 137,466 solar-powered television sets to villages.

Lawrence Senono a parent says that the government should stop wasting resources, noting that many learners will misuse the radios since monitoring is not guaranteed.

“I have children, some are candidates and are back at school, but I studied them. It will be a waste of government money, tax payers’ money. If they could not concentrate on TV lessons, what about TVs?”

Senono says that the government should reopen schools and put in place measures that can help to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Grace Nyendwoha another parent notes that schools should reopen because they don’t trust the government’s promise of providing radios. She says that up to date, her family has never received the free government face masks.

“Look at the masks, did everyone get a mask? Others might get radios, others might not…there are those who got food, and others did not. How will they distribute the radios. Are they sure each and every home will get a radio….you will find those who get radios are those close to the LCs,”Nyendwoha stated.

Cyrus Ssebagala a parent also says that the government should instead use the funds it plans to procure radios to ensure that schools put in place the required SOPs and let the learners return to school.

“It would have been fair for government to open all schools. Parents are looking for money to survive, not to buy batteries,” he said.

Harriet Nabweteme says that the lessons on the radios are not conducive for learners especially in rural areas. “It can only work if Government liaises with radio stations to ensure each class has its allotted time of the day,” she said.

She says that the schools should re-open to enable learners to interact physically with the teachers.

On Wednesday, Parliament’s Budget Committee declined to approve 336.8 Billion Shillings supplementary budget request by the government to purchase 9 million radio sets for Ugandan homes to facilitate the long-distance learning program.

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