1563 Schools Under USE to Receive Free Text Books

Universal Secondary Education (USE) is to receive text books worth sh17b according to a statement from the ministry of education.

The money that will enable the buying of these books is a fraction of the $150m that the Ugandan government got from the World Bank for the implementation of the Uganda Post Primary Education and Training (UPPET) program.

A statement which was signed by John Mary Agaba on behalf of the education ministry’s permanent secretary, Francis Lubanga revealed that the education ministry has started distributing the free text books to 1563 schools under the USE program. This is to help boost the quality of the secondary education in the country.

The statement went on to reveal that the education ministry reserved $6.7m (about sh17b) for 2.7 million textbooks that will go to the selected government and private schools that are participating in the implementation of the USE program.

“M/S MK Publishers was contracted supply and deliver the textbooks to selected USE secondary schools (Government and Private) in the country. The selected secondary schools will receive a specified number of textbooks depending on student enrollment,” the statement read.

The subjects that are going to be awarded the text books are English, Chemistry, history and Geography according to a table showing the list of the books to be distributed. Whereas some schools got more than 1000 textbooks especially for English, others got less than 50 while some schools like Mbarara College and Tropical SS Bwera got no history textbooks.

The ministry’s communications specialist, Fortunate Ahimbisibwe, said there was no specific criteria which was being used to distribute the books; “There is no particular criteria followed. All the government schools and the private ones that are implementing the Use program will receive the books.”

Ahimbisibwe went on to add that the government gives out money for buying text books in schools every year but emphasis was given to the primary schools (Universal Primary Education) in the previous years but decided to change this year by putting focus on USE.

Head teachers have been asked by the ministry of education to be present at the schools as the text books are distributed to enable accountability. Chairpersons School Board of Governors and PTA (Parents and Teachers’ Association) representatives where also asked to be present. The school heads were urged to report in writing any inconsistencies noted to the Commissioner Secondary Education as well as write a brief report on the suitability of the goods within seven (7) days after delivery.

“Head teachers should ensure that there is someone with an official school stamp to receive the textbooks. On receipt of the textbooks, the head teacher is required to acknowledge receipt of the goods and issue out a “Goods Received Note”, whose copy should be submitted to the undersigned within seven (7) days,” the ministry’s statement read.

Source: Uganda Picks