Rubanda RDC Orders Arrest of Parents Who Keep Children Out of School

The Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Rubanda, Eric Ssewandigi, has ordered the police to take disciplinary action against parents who fail to send their children to school, citing violations of the government’s Universal Primary and Secondary Education policies.

In a letter addressed to the District Police Commander (DPC) of Rubanda, Ssewandigi noted that children were seen loitering around in the morning instead of being in school, indicating parental negligence.

He directed the police to apprehend such parents and take appropriate disciplinary measures.

“It is the government’s policy that all children should have access to Universal Primary and Secondary Education. However, some parents are failing to comply, as evidenced by children not in school uniforms loitering in certain areas. This is unacceptable,” the directive reads in part.

The RDC instructed the police to report back within seven days on actions taken against non-compliant parents.

The directive was also copied to the District Internal Security Officer (DISO) and the District Education Officer (DEO), signaling a multi-agency approach to enforcing school attendance.

This move comes amid growing concerns that despite free education policies, some parents in rural communities still keep their children at home due to economic challenges, cultural beliefs, or lack of awareness about the importance of education.

While some local leaders have welcomed the move as a necessary step to enforce education policies, critics argue that punitive measures may not address the root causes of school absenteeism, which often include poverty, lack of school materials, and long walking distances to schools.

Authorities in Rubanda are now expected to conduct operations to identify out-of-school children and hold their parents accountable.

However, it remains unclear whether alternative measures, such as community sensitization and economic support for struggling families, will be considered alongside enforcement.

With a one-week deadline set by the RDC, all eyes are on the police to see how they will implement the directive and whether it will lead to increased school attendance in the district.