By Edward Byamukama
Government Schools in Hoima City and Hoima district, have registered a poor turn up on the first day of the third term which some attributed to the ongoing national wide strike and the morning downpour.
Our reporter visited some of the schools, but it was found out that learners were few in classes and others were met on the way going back home since some teachers at some schools were absent.
Hajji Mbuga Abudlah the Head teacher Bwikya Moslem Secondary School also the Hoima City Secondary School Head Teachers Chairperson disclosed that the turn up on first day was poor though teachers who were supposed to be at school were present.
At Hoima Public primary, Patrick Irumba the deputy Head teacher disclosed that, the turn up was 34% saying 17 teachers out of 22 teachers were present. He further disclosed that, as primary teachers, they were partially interested in the strike going on, but they did not consider it serious since it was more in secondary teachers since primary teachers looked like they were segregated.
In Hoima District, at Kakindo Secondary School the turn up was 30% according to George Saali the school Head teacher. He has called upon parents to send Children to School being the last and promotional term.
On UNATU national wide strike, Saali disclosed that teachers deserve the best pay since the government promised to work on it.
He asked the government to fulfill its promise so that the strike doesn’t go long and affect studies during the third term. He however reiterated that Science teachers turned up in big numbers asking parents not to relax their children at home since some lessons are ongoing.
Meanwhile, some of the private schools visited by our reporter, classes were moving on smoothly with over 50% turn up.
At St Jude Primary School in Hoima City, over 70% of pupils turned up according to boys were 360 and 432 girls according to Richard Aisu, the school head teacher.
At Good Samaritan Nursery and Primary School, Mbabazi Marion, one of the school administrators reiterated that the turn up was low in 30% which has been attributed to the morning down pour and parents who have tendencies that the first day of the term pupils don’t learn. She called upon students to send students to school since the term is short.
