Ugandan students under their umbrella body, Uganda National Students’ Association (UNSA), led by their president Yusuf Welunga have launched the ‘Keep Schools Open and Safe’ Campaign in which they seek to supplement government’s efforts towards safe reopening of education institutions.
“Uganda National Students’ Association (UNSA) is established Education Act 2008 with a mandate of championing students’ interests across the country,” Mr Welunga.
Uganda has had the longest closure of schools in the world (over twenty (22) months).
For the last 22 months, 90% of the 15 million learners in Uganda have never stepped into school while the other 10% have been in and out of school or home studying.
‘Learning from the experience of the first attempt at re-opening schools, which led to subsequent abrupt closure, and given the severe disruption that the long closure has had on learners, parents, school and staff,” Welunga added.
UNSA appreciates the painful but wise decision taken by Government to close schools.
“This decision contributed to Uganda’s success story in
managing the pandemic. UNSA also appreciates the Two Ministries of Education and Ministry of Health for mobilizing schools for reopening through staff priority vaccination.”
UNSA has now come to join hands with government and partners with an Initiative ‘Keeping Schools Open and Safe’. Working with the Joint Task Force of concerned citizens (education managers, student’s leaders, parents, senior citizens, Mother’s union, Scouts and Girl Guides Association, St. John’s Ambulance, Family comfort Foundation other student’s associations etc) to achieve this goal.
“UNSA has made a commitment to mobilize and engage the 15 million learners across the country to support Government’s plan of keeping schools safe,” Welunga pledged.
