The government of Uganda directed universities and other higher Institutions of learning including vocational schools to reopen on 1st November, 2021 to allow students study for one month and thereafter write their final exams. This gave opportunity to students who had been out of school to join again their various trainings to prepare for both practical and theoretical assessments. Despite this opportunity, some students didn’t come back due to various reasons resulting from covid-19 lockdown. They cited challenges of transport costs; all public transport vehicles were directed to take half way passengers and this increased transport fares all over the country.
Private vehicles of four-seater were restricted to only three passengers. Other learners were already engaged in some small businesses and were unwilling to join school again. Mostly those from country side had travelled up country to avoid being locked in towns. Despite these challenges, the institute resumed studies with the few students who turned up. However, it was also a challenge to cover the last sections of the curriculum within one month. We thank the teachers or instructors who managed to turn up to support this exercise within this protracted period. The training
was extremely intensive and had two sets of assessments under the technical section. These included the real-life project demonstrated practically and final written exams.
The major challenge was to requisition the training materials whose prices had been increased due to prevailing lockdown. Technical courses require various tools and many consumable items to enable students have genuine hands-on experience during their trainings. Thanks go to management whose efforts paid off after contacting various stores which supplied these items on credit. This enabled the school to concentrate on training and hence ensure every student access available materials. Students of the following courses were available; National
Certificate in Electrical Systems (NCES), National Certificate in Automotive Mechanics (NCAM), National Certificate in Fashion and Design (NCFD), National Certificate in Plumbing (NCPL), National Certificate in Hotel and Institutional Catering (NCHIC).
The assessments were conducted by the national examination body known as Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB). The Ministry of Education and Sports declared 10th January 2022 as the official day for reopening allschools namely; preprimary, primary and post primary, However, this directive came at a time when omicron is highly spreading like bush fire in the country. Incidentally, the government directed full reopening of the economy two weeks after resumption of the schools. This follows approximately two years of lockdown since official declaration by government on 20th March 2020 after cases of coronavirus had been cited in the country.
In order to avoid congestion of students, the government instituted a reporting plan where students will be received by respective schools in the staggered manner. Primary and secondary schools in particular districts will report on different days, for instance, boarding students in Kampala and Mukono districts will report on 11th and 13th January, 2022. While Mpigi and Wakiso districts will report on 12th and 14th January, 2022. This is done to avoid the spread of omicron among students and parents, as well as reducing traffic jam.
The government introduced the abridged curriculum to enable learners catch up with what was lost for not attending school during lockdowns. This follows the government’s decision to allow all students have automatic promotions to their next classes. In order not to lose out completely on the content in the curriculum for their previous classes, this form of programme with abridged curriculum will definitely support them to fill up the gaps that are essentially vital in their education life. However, some schools have increased school fees which is likely to limit most students from continuing with their studies. They cite increased prices for items needed to facelift their school premises, deposits on teachers and other school requirements. Private schools have expressed their dismay over the government’s failure to facilitate them during school reopening unlike their colleagues in public schools.
Despite warnings from government directing private schools to desist from increasing fees, they have ignored it. This will be a disaster for parents and caretakers from poor families who cannot afford even to have two meals a day. Now some parents and institutions supporting children in school are reaching out to school administrators to help them reduce the fees.
The lockdown tortured everyone and majority of the people lost their businesses and are now unemployed.
As UCC, we have already put in place a plan to contact all schools where our beneficiaries go fornegotiations particularly to reduce on the fees and other requirements. We thank the schools that have cooperated with us by accepting to have meetings with them. This will be closely followed and consequently reported back to know the progress. We thank MEM, IDAY International, UCC Board of Directors and the cooperating schools for all the support rendered to UCC.
Despite the impact caused by Covid-19 on school operations, administration and staff are more than ready to continue with their mandate of skilling the children of Uganda to attain their dreams of self.