The Second Deputy Prime Minister, Gen. Moses Ali, has announced government’s plan to rehabilitate and expand public secondary schools across the country, cognisant of the dilapidated structures in schools.
Ali, also Deputy Leader of Government Business, said that the Ministry of Education and Sports has prepared a project to repair and expand all government owned secondary schools, using conditional grants disbursed to schools before the onset of the second wave of COVID-19.
“Ministry of Education and Sports is aware of the state of disrepair in schools and is preparing a circular to guide local government accounting officers to guide disbursement of funds to schools” Ali said.
He said that the funds will, however, be disbursed after schools have resumed and not as earlier requested by Bungokho County North MP, John Magolo , who had requested that schools be allowed to commence renovation works before resumption of classes.
“The existing expenditure guidelines only provide for utilisation of funds only when schools are closed, but now schools are closed because of COVID-19,” Ali said.
Magolo’s concern was that as government plans to re-open schools in January 2022 as announced by President Yoweri Museveni in his September 2021 address, government schools in his constituency did not have accommodation facilities.
Ali further explained that government will disburse funds in two phases, adding that schools will receive the second phase funds only after accounting for the first phase.
The Deputy Prime Minister made the response during plenary sitting of Thursday, 28 October 2021 chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Anita Among.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
