Government-aided secondary schools in Mukono have been warned against turning away children who got third grade in last year’s Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).
Rhondah Tiitwe, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Mukono said the government policy is that all children who scored third grade must be admitted to Senior One. Government-aided secondary schools in Mukono have been warned against turning away children who got third grade in last year’s Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).
Rhondah Tiitwe, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Mukono said the government policy is that all children who scored third grade must be admitted to Senior One.
Tiitwe said they will move from village to village looking for children who government-aided schools have denied admission to Senior One.
“In our policy, we don’t have bright or dull children. Every child is bright and we cannot increase the number of idle youth by denying them education when they want it. These schools are supported by the government and children should not be deprived of their right to education,” Tiitwe said.
This was after Augustine Kirungi, the head teacher of St Charles Lwanga, a government-aided secondary school, Goma Division, in Mukono Municipality, said they have only admitted children who passed in first and second grades for Senior One this year.
Kirungi said they decided to admit the children with first and second grades to minimize the influx of students since they do not have enough space. Kirungi said they have already admitted 421 students for Senior One excluding those who passed in 3rd grade.
“I want to inform you that the space isn’t still enough. We already have a population of 1900 students excluding numbers of Senior One and Senior Five because we are still admitting. Because of limited space, we don’t admit children with third grade for Senior One,” Kirungi said.
However, Tiitwe and Gerald Muhumuza, the Chairperson PTA objected to Kirungi’s decision. They insisted that students who scored third grade are mostly those from government-aided primary schools within the community and that would mean ending their education journey.
Several PTA members and the Board of Governors committee seconded Kirungi’s idea insisting that St Charles Lwanga Bukerere which was ranked 219 in the whole country in last year’s UCE should be able to meet the standards of other national schools.
“If children in this community know that the only affordable school will not take them with their third grade in PLE, they will be forced to perform better. Even the parents will put in much effort to ensure that the children pass with good grades,” Kirungi insisted.
Herbert Nalodda, a member of the Board of Governors committee for St Charles Lwanga SS said the school was started in the catholic church same period as Namilyango College and Namugongo Martyrs SS but it has lagged among the three.
“We took a drastic decision three years ago to increase school fees with only 50000 shillings for development. But now we have a perimeter wall which increases security for students. New buildings have been put in place. Even us being ranked 219 in the whole country is because we set standards and we must keep setting them high,” Nalodda said.
It is not clear whether RDC Tiitwe, the PTA Chairperson and parents will reach a consensus on rejected children in third grade. However, Tiitwe maintained her position that the school should admit all children in third grade and demanded more classroom blocks from the government.
Tiitwe said they will move from village to village looking for children who government-aided schools have denied admission to Senior One.
“In our policy, we don’t have bright or dull children. Every child is bright and we cannot increase the number of idle youth by denying them education when they want it. These schools are supported by the government and children should not be deprived of their right to education,” Tiitwe said.
This was after Augustine Kirungi, the head teacher of St Charles Lwanga, a government-aided secondary school, Goma Division, in Mukono Municipality, said they have only admitted children who passed in first and second grades for Senior One this year.
Kirungi said they decided to admit the children with first and second grades to minimize the influx of students since they do not have enough space. Kirungi said they have already admitted 421 students for Senior One excluding those who passed in 3rd grade.
“I want to inform you that the space isn’t still enough. We already have a population of 1900 students excluding numbers of Senior One and Senior Five because we are still admitting. Because of limited space, we don’t admit children with third grade for Senior One,” Kirungi said.
However, Tiitwe and Gerald Muhumuza, the Chairperson PTA objected to Kirungi’s decision. They insisted that students who scored third grade are mostly those from government-aided primary schools within the community and that would mean ending their education journey.
Several PTA members and the Board of Governors committee seconded Kirungi’s idea insisting that St Charles Lwanga Bukerere which was ranked 219 in the whole country in last year’s UCE should be able to meet the standards of other national schools.
“If children in this community know that the only affordable school will not take them with their third grade in PLE, they will be forced to perform better. Even the parents will put in much effort to ensure that the children pass with good grades,” Kirungi insisted.
Herbert Nalodda, a member of the Board of Governors committee for St Charles Lwanga SS said the school was started in the catholic church same period as Namilyango College and Namugongo Martyrs SS but it has lagged among the three.
“We took a drastic decision three years ago to increase school fees with only 50000 shillings for development. But now we have a perimeter wall which increases security for students. New buildings have been put in place. Even us being ranked 219 in the whole country is because we set standards and we must keep setting them high,” Nalodda said.
It is not clear whether RDC Tiitwe, the PTA Chairperson and parents will reach a consensus on rejected children in third grade. However, Tiitwe maintained her position that the school should admit all children in third grade and demanded more classroom blocks from the government.