DEATH OF THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND .

Four days ago Queen Elizabeth 2 the UK ‘s longest serving monarch died in Balmoral aged 96 years after reigning for over 70 years. Her death is a total sadness to the entire Great Britain and the world at large.

Uganda Young Democrats would like to condole with the United Kingdom and all the common wealth countries about the demise of the Queen.

FLOODS IN KASESE

Earlier this month heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the areas of kisoro ,Bundibugyo and Kasese, leading death of people,loss of property and displacing a number of people

Further rain fell in the Rwenzori region specifically Kasese on the 6th/September/2022 causing landslides in Kasiika Village, kigoro parish in Rukoki sub-county Kasese district where by 18 people were feared to be missing. On 7th/09/2022 Red cross reported 15 dead bodies were recovered where the majority were women and children.

This has left left many people homeless and restless since they relatively have no homes and live on pressure of fear for more floods

We call upon the government specifically the prime Minister’s office and the minister of state for disaster preparedness to respond immediately on this very situation because many people were displaced and lack the basic and Essential needs like food, housing, clothes among others which may cause serious disease outbreak in the district if the situation at hand is not handled well.

As UYD we have established a “UYD relief package” from which we are collecting materials like clothes ,food pads,soap and any Essential materials to give to the affected people as part of our corporate social responsibility.
We call upon charity groups ,civil society and government to come and give a hand towards the success of this program.

GOV’T SLASHING GRANTS TO UPE AND USE SCHOOLS

Last week on Monday 5th/09/2022 New vision published a story on page 3 on how government had slashed grants to UPE and USE schools.

Which meant that all UPE and USE schools will receive 50% of the usual capitation grant expected for the third term.

Uganda Young Democrats would like to raise it’s concern on this matter because of it’s effect on the 13,692 schools under this program in Uganda.

The statistics show that Uganda has 12,431 UPE primary schools and 1,261 USE schools.

This is the first time the capitation grant is being suppressed and As Uganda Young Democrats we would like to know why this is happening this year because Schools can not run without this money with the inflation at hand .
instead the government should have increased the capitation grant

According to the records in the ministry of education, Government used to pay 10,000 shs five years ago then increased 17,000 for every pupil in UPE every year which was later increased to 20,000 Ugs per pupil per year as capitation grant according to the records .

But basing on the UYD research Government pays only 14500/= Ugsh for every pupil per year.

That amount has been coming in 3 phases which means government has been paying 4833 Ug for every pupil per term.

With the new policy of chopping the 50% of the capitation grant for UPE and USE schools, government is now paying only 2416 Ugsh.

Students under USE government pays 58,300 per term at O’level and 90,000 for those at A’level.

We all know that this grant wasn’t even enough for the smooth running of these schools, now how about when it is cut.

How the schools tend to be affected.

The financial year had already taken off and schools had already budgeted for it to purchase for the instructional materials such as chalk, text books, and paper.

Schools pay utilities such as electricity, water and they also use the grant to manage the staff and some maintainances.

OUR PLEA
We expect government to add the capitation grant with immediate effect because the prices of materials and everything needed to run schools has hiked .

We expect the prime minister together with the Minister of education to seat and rectify this problem immediately before it gets out of hand.
Else we intend to sue the government upon the injustice done of children and schools because this affects smooth running of education and the learning process
Thanks