By Isaac Tayebwa,
KAMPALA:
The Ministry of Education and sports has withdrawn certificates for private schools and institutions asking the proprietors to register before reopening.
This was made by the ministry’s assistant commissioner in charge of private schools and institutions, George Mutekanga at the Uganda Media Centre on Monday.
Mutekanga told journalists that fresh registration exercise is aimed at helping government to weed out schools that are no longer operational.
“We are trying to update our register, we are trying to weed out schools that are closed, schools that were granted fund, we are going to give them new certificates,” Mutekanga said.
He said the nationwide exercise is going to start with schools in Kampala, Wakiso and other parts of the central region before it spreads out to the whole country.
“The most important feature is that the schools will receive a new certificate which will have security features,” Mutekanga added.
This development has however been contested by members of the public who claim the exercise is a business opportunity to authorities at the ministry.
Citing out the scenarios during the registration of Arcades in the business capital Kampala where Arcade owners who did not give in “Kitu Kidogo” (bribes and inducements) had closure of their buildings stayed, the FDC Deputy Secretary General Harold Kaijja said the exercise to register private schools is a money making project for public officials.
“Some schools now look like deserted houses, they may not go back to register. We know what registration means, its one way of helping public officials to make money because for you to get an approval you must pay,” he contested.
Kaijja made the remarks on Monday while addressing journalists during the party weekly press briefing at Najjanankumbi Kampala.
