The reactions of parents to the opening of the schools are mixed. Some are happy that their child now earns some money for the family and does not send his offspring back, or cannot pay the school fees or uniform. But there is also relief that children can learn again, as with Dan Seguja, father of five.
“Children have to learn. I don’t understand why the schools are closed at all and I think that children are safer there, also against corona. At home we go to the market and busy places, then they can get it too.”
He is concerned about whether the schools can remain open. “When they closed two years ago we had paid full school fees for the year and we didn’t get that money back. Who’s to say this won’t happen again?”
That is also what Maria Ntale, mother of four, is concerned about corona in addition to school fees. “But I still think it’s better that the kids are back, because the online learning didn’t work.”
Her daughters attend one of the best private schools near Kampala and they were able to continue their education online. But for the majority of the children, that option did not exist, because for many people a computer or just an internet connection is unaffordable. This has created an even wider gap between richer and poorer children.
Catching up a lot
To reassure parents concerned about corona, some schools test their students. According to school principal Isaac Kinobe of St. Jude High School, half of the students at his school are positive.
Testing is not a national policy, the government has advised against doing so. “It’s at the request of the parents,” Kinobe says. “Some parents take their child home if it is positive, but they can also quarantine here.”
The extent of the school dropout will only become clear at the end of this week. Many schools stagger the return of classes. All students will be back at the school of teacher Asagiu on Thursday. “Then we can take stock and we have a lot to catch up on.”
With the collaboration of Samson Ntale, journalist in Uganda.
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