Although the president closed all schools all over the country and banned all social gatherings as a way of preventing the further spread of Covid 19 , Mukono District Resident Commissioner (RDC), Hajjat Fatumah Nabitaka, has ordered all teachers in her jurisdiction to resume reaching children based in their homes as long as they observe the Standard Operating Procedures.
While addressing more than 500 private teachers from Mukono at her office, she went ahead and warned the police officers, with immediate effect, to stop arresting and disturbing these teachers because they are looking for survival as most of them are now jobless.
This comes after these teachers led by Angelo Kalungi plead with the RDC to talk to the police officers who they said have made it a habit of invading their homes while teaching some children. He said the teachers are usually arrested and the officers demand a lot of money from teachers in order to forgive them or they are detained.
“Police should immediately stop harassing teachers who are found teaching children in their homes. The children these teachers are teaching are few compared to those whom the President ordered to study using the radios,” Nabitaka said.
The teachers added that they are very much aware of Covid-19, but that they decided to resume teaching children in their homes after the situation got better to make some money for survival.
She also asked all teachers who still sleep at the school premises to also continue teaching while using the staff quarters and worship places which were opened by the president.
She, however, cautioned them to be more vigilant on Covid-19 and urged them to follow the SOPs while teaching these children.
The police has been carrying out operations since the declaration of the lockdown, which has seen many human rights violations. This prompted the area Member of Parliament, Hon Betty Nambooze Bakireke, to intervene, where she stormed at Mukono Police Station opposing such operations.
Nambooze said it is inhuman for the police officers to harass anyone especially the teachers.
According to the State Minister for Higher Education, Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo, they do not have or know a plan for school reopening. He added that schools were closed to protect the lives of so many learners that were at risk of falling sick. He urged teachers to use these times to get vaccinated against Covid 19.
However, according to the State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Ms Sarah Mateke, more than 52 girls have been defiled by their teachers in the due course of private teaching.
English 