JINJA – Jinja Resident District Commissioner Eric Sakwa has threatened to close schools that are not implementing patriotism programmes.
Speaking at Wanyange Girls’ Secondary School on Tuesday, Mr. Sakwa explained that private secondary schools will have their licenses revoked and premises closed for failure to implement the programme that was introduced by President Museveni.
The patriotism programme was launched in 2009 with the aim of making residents love their country for good transformation and in all spheres of life. This was emphasized in a circular issued in 2013 by the Ministry of Education and Sports, instructing all schools to mainstream patriotism activities in their programmes.
However, Mr. Sakwa explained that because most schools are not implementing the programmes, President Museveni recently directed that non-complying schools should be closed.
“The President believes that remnants of corruption in the country are due to lack of patriots who must be nurtured in schools by implementing patriotism programmes,” Mr. Sakwa added.
The Assistant Commissioner at the National Patriotism Secretariat in the Office of the President, Ms. Beatrice Bananuka, said some schools are hesitant to request for funding for this programme.
“Some schools like Wanyange Girls’ that write to us get help and implement the program while others just leave. Therefore, there is need to get in touch because funding is expected’’ she said.
The officials were speaking during the pass out of over 200 students of Wanyange Girls’ Secondary School who had successfully completed 10-day training in patriotism.
The Jinja District Inspector of Schools, Mr. Eriya Kisambira, said more than half of the schools in the district have failed to implement the (patriotism) programme despite being issued with instructions and blamed it on limited funding from the government.
“The programme was supposed to be funded by the Patriotism Secretariat but very few schools have been able to get this money, thus stalling the programme,” he explained.
