Boys’ dormitory at Namirembe Hillside High School goes up in flames

February 

18^th February – Fire burnt a dormitory at St. Anthony Roman Catholic Primary School in Nakasongola District, destroying property worth millions. According to the school head teacher, Ms. Allen Musoke, by the time the dormitory caught fire, the pupils had gone for morning lessons at about 5: 30 am and no one was injured. The dormitory was housing boys in Primary Five, Six and Seven.

20^th February – Fire gutted a boys’ dormitory at Najjanankumbi City Academy in Makindye Division in Kampala, destroying lots of property including books, suitcases, utensils and beddings.

21^st February – Fire gutted a dormitory at St Jude Primary School in Nakasongola District and claimed the life of Favor Itaro, a Primary One pupil. Itaro died of suffocation, according to a postmortem report released by police. Seven pupils were injured. District authorities closed the school for one week. The ill-fated dormitory had burglar proof windows, which could have made it difficult for the pupils to escape the fire.

24^th February – A boys’ dormitory at Sembabule Parents Primary School was destroyed by fire when pupils were attending evening classes. The affected dormitory was housing 35 boys and a lot of property was lost.

28^th February – Another fire gutted St. Anthony Roman Catholic Primary School in just a space of 11 days, leading to its closure. The Thursday fire destroyed the girls’ dormitory housing over 18 pupils.

March

20^th March – Fire gutted a boys’ dormitory at St James Secondary School in Mubende District, destroying property worth millions of shillings.

April

4th April – Property worth Shs800 million was destroyed in a dormitory fire at Forest Hill College Mukono (State minister for higher education JC Muyingo’s school). The boys’ dormitory was housing at least 225 students of senior three to senior six. Authorities say no one was hurt by the fire that destroyed students’ mattresses, books, jerrycans, clothes and money, among others.

May

27^th May – Fire gutted a boys’ dormitory at Kisoso Parents Primary School, a day after pupils reported for second term, destroying some property including suit cases which involved pupils’ belongings and beddings. According to the Southern Police spokesman Paul Kangave, the incident happened at around 7:30pm on Monday. It is suspected that the fire could have been a result of a wrongly installed solar panel system at the dormitory, according to Charles Nsereko, the school director.

Mr. Kangave said the dormitory accommodates about 160 pupils, but by the time of the incident, only 60 had reported and none were injured.

July

20^th July – Fourteen students were injured in Nakaloke Islamic School in Mbale District after a fire suspected to have started from one of the dormitories near the mosque reduced properties to ashes before it was contained by the Police Fire Brigade. Textbooks, classroom work, mattresses, case boxes, clothing and utensils, belonging to 50 students were all destroyed.

25^th July – students of Namirembe Hillside High School in Kitetika, Wakiso District lost property worth millions of shillings after a fire gutted one of their dormitories.

Property worth Shs800m destroyed in a dormitory fire at Forest Hill College Mukono

September

18^th September – Pupils of Happy Times SS, Masajja in Wakiso District lost a lot of property when fire gutted one of the dormitories.

21^st September – Just three days later, another fire gutted a dormitory at Kyotera Infant and Primary School. The fire started at the door of the boys’ dormitory and quickly spread to the rest of the facility. No lives were lost but pupils’ belongings such as mattresses, shoes, suit cases, clothes and books were burnt to ashes.

Caution is needed

This alarming rate of fire outbreaks calls for more caution from school authorities to always ensure that they have working firefighting equipment, and that learners have the knowledge of how to operate it.

The post List of 2019 school fires in Uganda first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Makerere University graduands at a recent graduation ceremony. Photo by Campustimes

Applications are invited for Tianjin University International Student Scholarship for non-Chinese students to study in China. The university awards full and partial scholarships to students.

Tianjin University School of International Education was established in January 2000, it is one of the secondary schools of Tianjin University. The school of International Educational takes enrollment, teaching administration, and social administration and services functions of international students at Tianjin University for its main task, and also undertakes the Chinese language teaching for international students.

Applicants who want to join in the programs taught in English must submit the certificate of TOEFL (Score 80 or above), or IELTS (Score 6.0 or above) (Not required for native English speakers); Applicants who don’t have one should submit an English Level Certificate or a self-introduction video which should be recorded in English for 3-5 minutes in duration.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE:

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golden gate university lobby. internet photo

The Golden Gate University is inviting applications for International Welcome Scholarships. These scholarships are available for pursuing bachelor’s or master’s degree programme.

Golden Gate University is a private, nonsectarian university in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1901, GGU specializes in educating professionals through its schools of law, business, taxation, and accounting.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE:

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banner advertising the scholarships

The Danube Business School is offering scholarships for qualified applicants from emerging markets. Scholarships are available for citizens of lower income countries and countries with emerging markets.

Danube University Krems is an Austrian university specialized in postgraduate education.

If English is not your first language then you will need to show that your English language skills are at a high enough level to succeed in your studies.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE:

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However, how many of these promises embeded in the manifestos are directed to the young children of the country? Kenya’s child population (0-14 year olds) is 43% of the total population; this is one of the largest demographics in the country. A large population of children (0-14) signifies high child dependency and the need to invest in child and maternal health as well as education opportunities. With this in mind it is therefore imperative to find out what the candidates have planned for the nation’s children.

Jubilee Manifesto                                                              

Jubilee Manifesto Launch

Jubilee’s vision is: A united Kenya in which wealth is created and prosperity is shared amongst all citizens; A fast-growing economy that leaves no one behind; A Kenya for all Kenyans by Kenyans; An accountable, professional and efficient government; and An influential regional power at peace with itself and its neighbours.

“Kenya has immense potential for growth, modernisation and prosperity. Growth that leaves no one behind; modernisation that secures our future for generations to come; and a prosperity that we can all share and enjoy” President Uhuru Kenyata’s address at the Manifesto launch

The manifesto noted ten points the party will work on. Out of these the promises concerning Early Childhood Development are point four and six which state:

• Expand the free primary school programme to now include free day public secondary schools in Kenya.
• Expand free maternity care to include government funded NHIF cover for every expectant mother for one year.

In the small print the manifesto further notes that it would:

Extend the “Linda Mama” programmes to a total of one year to cover both ante-natal and post-natal care and reduce maternal and child mortality rates.

Work towards achieving a 100% transition from primary to secondary school by providing free education in all public primary and public day secondary schools.

Maintain momentum in upgrading slums by providing clean water and sanitation, access roads, street lights, schools and health centres as well as income generating activities. This will help improve the lives of 4 million people living and working in slums.

Find the full manifesto here jpmanifesto2017

NASA Manifesto

NASA Manifesto Launch

NASA fronted a seven pillar vision and policy platform which the manifesto then translates into a programme of action. The vision and policy platform address:

• National reconciliation and healing
• Resolving all historical injustices
• Refining the constitution to strengthen devolution
• Transforming government from master to servant of the people
• Realizing the equality principles and goals entrenched in Article 27 of the Constitution
• Realizing social and economic rights as enshrined in Article 43 of the Constitution
• Eradicating poverty and unemployment

“…the manifesto is decidedly ideological and bold, at once pragmatic, alive to challenges of implementing social transformation, but uncompromising on principles and values. It is a manifesto for fundamental change”

Concerning early childhood development the manifesto includes:

Mainstreaming constitutional education in the school curriculum.

Progressively expanding income transfer programmes (presently limited to the elderly and households with orphans and vulnerable children (OVC)) to the critically food poor.

Establishing a National Universal Health Service Fund to be funded by the public budget for curative heath services and a minimal basic health insuarance contribution by citizens.

Delegating school infrastructure to the Counties- giving conditional grants.

Arresting high school dropout rate; expanding secondary school infrastructure; and expanding teacher training capacity hence making the primary school examinations (KPCE) redundant since every child will be assured a place.

Find the full manifesto here Nasa-Coalition-Manifesto

All in all

Although a discussion could be held on who represents the children’s issues best, these two powerhouses did not ignore the 43 per cent but included them in their manifestos and made commitments to the children of Kenya. Whichever of these parties does take the election, we will be watching and lobbying for these implementations.

The post Manifestos and the children of Kenya first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Nwoya MP Simon Oyet.

The plan to re-table the Bill to Parliament has been revealed by the Nwoya County MP, Simon Oyet, after the new leadership writing to Kadaga notifying her about the need for the bill to be tabled and passed into an act of Parliament.

Oyet said the Bill on Government Assurance would have been tabled as a private members bill but that it has a financial implication which ended being in the hands of Government.
He notes that the bill is much needed and appealed to government and President Museveni to fast track the bill because it’s going to benefit all Ugandans.

Oyet also said the committee is going to follow up all the pledges that have been made without being fulfilled so that people who pledge are compelled to meet the needs of Ugandans who badly need them.

He said Parliament is going to come out with a policy that will carry out checks and balance on leaders who make assurances so that such leaders are held accountable for failure to honor their pledges because the assurances are now in trillions of money for the last 30 years.

President Museveni is said to make alot of pledges which go unfulfilled according to some MPs.

Oyet gave examples of government assurances made by the President and ministers in the areas of road Infrastructure, Education, Settlements among others and the people are still waiting up to present day.

The Committee on Government Assurances is among the four oversight Committees of Parliament and responsible for scrutinizing the assurances, pledges and tasks assigned by ministers and government agents in Parliament.

The committee is also tasked with foreseeing that the assignments, pledges and assurances are effectively fulfilled and implemented within a given time period.

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Rebecca Kadaga the Speaker of the Ugandan parliament.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, has directed the Parliamentary Committees on Works, Education, Health and Finance including respective ministries to speed up the assessment of giving Kibuku district government services which are urgently required for the communities.

Kadaga made the directive while at the thanksgiving ceremony of the area MPs who included; the minister of state for local government, Jenniffer Namuyangu  as well as Kibuku district L.C5 Chairperson, Charles Kadiama held at Kasasira church of Uganda play ground in Kibuku district.

Kadaga wants Kibuku district to be given a government hospital, vocational school and a road network to enable the local community improve on their lives in many ways.

She also told the people in Kibuku to disregard the media reports that Parliament is to waste 68 million shillings on each MP’s burial when death occurs to any.

She says that the 68 million shillings is required for the burial of a Member of Parliament since it takes time and much preparation for burial of such people’s representative.

She adds that it is unfair to fundraise for the burial of an MP when it’s almost the same amount which civil servants consume for their burial.

The MP for Kibuku County, Herbert Kibonere and Namuyangu said  that they were still lobbying government to give their district seven Sub Counties for effective service delivery to their people.

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According to the report released in Kampala on Tuesday morning, the number of Ugandans living below national poverty line has reduced from 56.3% in 1993 to 19.7% in 2013, while the international poverty line has as well shifted from 68.1% in 1993 to 34.6% in 2013.

In relation to Northern Uganda 64% of citizens were living below the poverty line in 2006 but currently 84% live below poverty line on the national scale.

The report further shows that in the area of education, the teacher to pupil ratio is one teacher to 136 in northern Uganda, 90.5 in eastern Uganda, 47 in the central region and 53 in western Uganda.

In the social sector, only 35% of residents in Northern Uganda have mobile phones, 52% in eastern Uganda, 83% in central Uganda and 63% in eastern Uganda.

While launching the report the World Bank country director Christina Malmbrerg Calvo said the report envisages inequitable development which must be addressed.

State minister for finance, David Bahati.

In response, the state minister for planning David Bahati said that government is aware of the imbalance but quickly added that it was caused by insecurity that rocked these areas for over two decades.

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The findings are contained in a 2015/16 report that was handed over to Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga at the Parliamentary building by the Chairperson Equal Opportunities Commission, Sylivia Muwebwa Ntambi on Wednesday.

Hon. Rebecca Kadaga the Speaker of Parliament.

Kadaga later lamented that the report was a total embarrassment to the eastern region where she also hails from.

“This is the reason I have started giving text books to schools in Busoga to narrow the gap. We need to bring on board all stakeholders so that we reverse this trend. Children need to get quality education throughout Uganda and we need to see good results,”Kadaga said.

According to the report, the worst performing sub region primary education include Busoga, Teso and Bukedi and these are followed by West Nile, Lango and Acholi. The report mentions the best performing regions in Primary Education as those in Buganda, Ankole, Kigezi, Toro and Bunyoro.
The report further shows that the Eastern region contributes 73% of the poor performing districts of which six are in Busoga  and these include kaliro,Iganga,,Luuka ,Bugiri ,mayuge and Buyende.

It indicates that schools in municipalities perform better than those in main district local governments with performance disparity of 21% for male against 22% of female students.

The findings also reveal that districts within the northern, eastern and West Nile regions are trailing in terms of primary education performance as the chairperson Equal opportunities explains

Ntambi attributed the performance disparities in schools to  poor school inspections by districts education officials, lack of head teacher commitment ,high pupil text book ratio ,poor relationship between the school and the community and refusal of parents and the community to execute their roles in the process of educating a child.

The post Eastern Uganda performing poorly in Education-Equal opportunities report says first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

In an interview with the Commission’s mouth piece Jotham Taremwa he said Electoral Commission has no mandate within the confines of the constitution to verify nor to authenticate the academic papers of candidates saying it’s the mandate of National council for higher education to do so. Taremwa noted that according to the electoral commission act the role of the commission is well stipulated and it is wrong for the public to shift blame on the commission yet by law it’s not mandated disqualify one on academic qualifications.

Last week, the High Court in Kampala declared Busiro South MP seat vacant after NRM’s Peter Ssematimba was found to lack the requisite academic qualifications, also in the same vein the MP for Lugazi Municipality Isaac Mulindwa Ssozi was also thrown out of parliament this week over lack of academic qualifications.

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