President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has once again urged Ugandans to rally behind the government’s free education policy in public schools.
He stressed that many people have yet to fully embrace this strategy, and called on all stakeholders to ensure its proper implementation across the country.
Speaking at the closure of the Mothers’ Union Buganda conference at Timnah Schools in Luwero District on Sunday, September 1, 2024, the President explained the government’s vision for making education accessible to all Ugandans.
Accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, he emphasized that the old system, where education was mainly for the elite, is no longer sustainable.
“If we want all our children to study, we can no longer use the old method,” President Museveni said.
He explained the benefits of shifting from boarding schools to day schools, which reduces costs for accommodation, feeding, and utilities.
The President explained that the government’s role would be to build classrooms, computer libraries, science labs, and housing for teachers, while parents would only need to buy uniforms and provide lunch.
Museveni pointed out that the current system of charging fees in government schools leads to high dropout rates. He cited that out of 11 million children in primary school, only 2 million continue to secondary school. He argued that focusing on day schools under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) programs would make education more affordable and inclusive.
The President also praised the women at the conference for their strong Christian values, which he believes are key to promoting transformation within their families, communities, and the nation.
He encouraged them to continue being examples of hard work and purpose-driven living.
Museveni shared his personal experience with the Scripture Union in the 1960s and expressed his belief in the importance of household income through the 4-acre model, which promotes diversification in farming. He urged Ugandans to take advantage of government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM), which provides financial support to improve livelihoods.
As a gesture of support, Museveni promised to buy a coaster bus and provide Shs 500 million for the Mothers’ Union to support their projects.
The First Lady, Janet Museveni, also spoke at the conference, congratulating the mothers on their successful event.
She encouraged mothers to play a role in building stable families and raising children with strong Christian values. Janet further encouraged mothers to ensure their children take advantage of the free education provided by the government.
The conference, which brought together women from six dioceses in the Buganda region, also featured a health camp focusing on breast and cervical cancer screening, general health check-ups, and the distribution of essential items like Maama kits and mosquito nets.
The event showed the importance of women’s health and the role mothers play in maintaining healthy families.
The Mothers’ Union Buganda is a Christian organization dedicated to guiding women in their spiritual, economic, physical, and social development. The conference, themed “Working Diligently towards Transformation and Sustainable Development of our Nation,” inspired participants to share ideas on improving their lives, families, and communities through hard work and dedication.
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