Uganda Education News: District officials disagree on canning pupils who dodge school

By John Isingoma, Ultimate Media

As schools opened for first term on Monday February 30, 2012, some government officials went out to monitor how the schools had started especially on the teachers’ and pupils’ attendance. Different monitors reported varied impressions and some reacted in ways they thought could bring about a desired situation. 

For the sub county chief of Kakindo Sub County in Kibaale district, Anatoli Akugizibwe decided to tour places such as markets where he suspected that school going children had gone instead of attending school. Whoever school going children he found in markets he caned them to force them to go to school.

The chief’s action later got opposition from the District Education Officer, Cleophus Mugenyi who condemned the action saying it was unlawful. In an interview with a local Fm radio, radio KKCR, the education officer says that chiefs should just convince children to go to school because canning them will make them see schooling as a punishment and this will impact on their education negatively.

However, in a separate interview by KKCR, the Kakindo chief says that for as long as he does not cane to harm the children but as a disciplinary procedure, he will continue chasing school going children from markets by canning them while he counsels their parents to ensure that they take the education of their children seriously.