President Museveni Urges Ugandans to Support Free Education in Government Schools

President Yoweri Museveni has once again called on Ugandans to back the government's initiative of providing free education in all government schools. Speaking at the closure of the Mothers Union Buganda conference at Timnah Schools in Luwero District on 1st September 2024, President Museveni noted that many stakeholders have yet to fully embrace this strategy and urged them to ensure its implementation.

“Our goal was to provide affordable education for all Ugandans. In the past, only a few elite schools were available, where fees had to be paid even at the primary level. Back then, the government covered university costs,” said President Museveni, who was joined by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni.

The President highlighted the need to move away from costly boarding schools to more affordable day schools, both at the primary and secondary levels, to cut costs associated with accommodation, meals, and utilities. According to Museveni, the government's focus should be on building necessary infrastructure like classrooms, libraries, science labs, and housing for teachers, while parents would only need to cover uniforms and lunch.

He pointed out that eliminating fees in government schools is crucial to reducing school dropouts. Currently, out of 11 million children enrolled in primary school, only 2 million progress to secondary education. Museveni argued that focusing on Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) through day schools would allow the government to provide quality education affordably.

The President also praised the Mothers Union for their dedication to Christian values and their role in transforming families and communities. He encouraged the Union to prioritise their needs and pledged support, including providing a bus and Shs 500 million for their projects.

Meanwhile, the First Lady, Janet Museveni, commended the women for organising a successful conference and emphasised their vital role in building stable families and raising children with Christian values. She encouraged mothers to lead efforts in ensuring free education for all children in government schools.

The four-day conference brought together women from six dioceses in the Buganda region, focusing on topics such as health, entrepreneurship, and agricultural skills. The event also featured a health camp offering breast and cervical cancer screening and general health check-ups for the community.