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Confusion as Ministry delays P1s return, P4-P5 holidays

FILE PHOTO: It is now not clear if P1s will return to school at all until the new academic year that starts in August.

📌 UGANDA 🇺🇬 DELAYED BACK TO SCHOOL SCHEDULE

â–¶ P1, P2 & P3 – start – June 7
▶ P6, S3 & S5 – re-start – June 7
▶ P4-P5 – holidays – June 4

📌 3-year plan to harmonize school calendar

✳ Terms 12 weeks
✳ Holidays 15-17 days
✳ No exams
✳ 2021 starts August 9
✳ 2022 starts May 16
✳ 2023 starts April 10
✳ 2024 starts February

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Education has today released a statement delaying the return of Primary 1, 2 and 3 next week, and also the holidays for P4 and P5, which started today.

“Planned reporting back to school, breaking off for holidays ought to be delayed until further notice,” said a statement from the Ministry of Education.

The call for the delay of holidays for the Primary 4 and 5s seems to have come late, as most schools have broken off already, since yesterday.

An undated statement from the Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary Alex Kakooza released on twitter earlier today said there should be a delay pending President Yoweri Museveni’s next directions, expected in an address scheduled for Sunday.

As per the calendar, P1-P3 classes are expected to report back on 7th June, 2021, while P4 and P5 classes are supposed to break off for holidays on June 4. The semi-candidate classes (P6, S3 and S5) are also expected to report back for a special term on 7th June, 2021.

PS Education Alex Kakooza

“Pending the expected guidance of HE the President, Ministry of Education and Sports informs manager of education institutions and the general public that the planned reporting back to school and breaking off for holidays, as indicated above, should be delayed until further notice,” Kakooza said in the statement.

Several cases of COVID-19 have been reported across the country, with the Universities being more open, and seeking help to resolve the crisis.

“The ministry of Education and Sports is working closely with Ministry of Health to control the spread of the pandemic in education institutions and ensure early reporting and effective management of any emerging cases,” Kakooza reassured.

Earlier schedule

All the Primary 6, Senior 3 and Senior 5s who returned home a week back thinking they are now candidates, were suddenly told after they had broken off, that they have one more term to go June 7 to July 24.

“As part of the strategy for recovery of lost learning time, the Ministry included a special term of eight weeks for semi-candidate classes; that is P6, S3 and S5, since they had less time compared to the to the other classes to recover the lost learning time in the respective education cycles,” said Ministry of Education Permanent Kakooza in a circular dated May 19th.

PS Kakooza urged schools to charge reasonable fees for the short term.

“School administrators are once again urged to work with the parents on flexible fees payments given the short notice and the financial constraints many families are going through. School administrators are reminded that the special is a fraction of the normal school term therefore the fees to be charged for the special term should reflect this fact.”

Kakooza stressed their should be no promotions until after the term ends for all in July.  “No learner shall be promoted to the next class before 9th August 2021; the start of Academic Year 2021,” he said.

The original plan was for Primary 1, 2 and 3 pupils to be the last to rejoin on June 7, after the  semi-candidates of P6 get their holidays. The pupils of P4 and P5 will also have completed, so the schools were supposed be occupied by only Primary 1, 2 and 3s from June 7.

The schedule released in February by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education and Sports Kakooza, will still ensure the academic calendar 2020-21 ends in July.

“The dates indicated on this calendar may only be varied after obtaining written permission, on an individual basis,” PS Kakooza said.

“Please note that academic year 2020 for primary schools, secondary schools and post primary education institutions will end in July 2021. Thereafter, a comprehensive school calendar for 2021 academic year, as well as a strategy for recovery of lost time, will be issued. Progression to the next class will be based on attendance and continuous assessment of class work and assignments.”

 

 

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