The Ministry of Education and Sports has come under public criticism after appointing only Christian officers to head the Islamic Religious Education (IRE) in the country.
The Education Service Commission under the Ministry of Education on 19th July, 2021 appointed Abong Geoffrey, Najjemba Barbra, Nakanjako Erinah and Nankungu Annet as the new Education officers for IRE.
However, the Ministry’s move has rubbed a section of Muslims a wrong way who say that the positions deserved to be filled by people who align to the Islamic faith since they understand their religion better.
“I really don’t know the importance of Uganda Muslim supreme council walai,” a one Sawiya Ismah said.
Jimmy Ntare wondered, “Those saying mbu Qualifications, ain’t there Muslims who have studied that can’t qualify for IRE?”
Yusuf Mafabi asserted, “Religion is a faith, not a profession. If you don’t believe in it, you have no business teaching it. It’s like getting an NUP member to go and teach NRM or FDC members how to love their party, or the reverse. Our leadership must have outrightly opposed this nonsense like our Christian brothers have always done. But if you have leaders whose only job is waiting for the month of Ramadhan to go and eat free food in state house, just know you are doomed.”
” If they can send Christians to be ambassadors in uea with zero knowledge about speaking Arabic so doing that it’s not case to them,”Ritah Serenum added.
However, some people have since defended the Ministry saying that IRE, just like any other subject requires qualifications and professionalism not faith.
Henry kizza Shadrack said,” It’s not about being a moslem IRE is studied just like any other thing.. I was always the best in IRE yet am a Christian.. Tujeeko obujega naawe.”
Defever O Martin Wodnam remarked, “It’s a big problem if there were qualified Muslim teachers who had applied for the job and weren’t given. Otherwise, there’s no problem if the only available qualified teachers were Christians.”
Moses Ssenyonjo said, “It’s fine if they passed the exams and interview.”
“They appoint professionals not religious ideologies,” Muyirima Starlone Derick noted.
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