The main purpose of the symposium, organized by the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (Unatu), was to have a round table discussion on peace education and the prevention of violence in educational institutions.
The stakeholders also decided on steps to create a safe learning environment for all. The symposium brought together secondary and university students, teachers, head teachers, lecturers and school proprietors, among others.
It was agreed that students at all education levels are continuously expressing their anger through violent strikes because they are not involved in decision-making to promote peace in their institutions. Unatu secretary general Filbert Bates Baguma blamed administrators for turning a deaf ear toward learners’ grievances which fuels unending strikes in schools.
“Quite often, the setup of our education system does not give head teachers powers to manage schools. You find that someone good at delivery in the class is rewarded by appointing him or her a head teacher. Remember, teaching in class does not tantamount to being a good administrator. Therefore, there’s a missing link on the government side on promotions versus ability,”
Baguma said.
He called for the establishment of custom-made management courses for those who intend to be administrators in schools while current head teachers should be empowered with skills and knowledge of managing institutions.
Schools that were highlighted with violent strikes are; Blessed Sacrament SS Kimaanya, St John’s Comprehensive SS, St Gonzaga SS, Kaikolongo Seed School, Kashaka Girls SS, Kabale SS, and Hornby High School Kabale. Others are; Lake Bunyonyi SS, Mbarara HS, St Joseph’s College Ombaci, Gulu Central High School, Logoba SS Moyo, and Mandela SS Hoima.
CAUSES OF VIOLENT STRIKES
Makerere University was also featured for its 88th guild campaigns that turned violent. A Uganda Christian University student Bewatte Betungura who had come to the university to campaign for his colleague in the race was stabbed to death in a clash.
Makerere University Council henceforth banned physical guild elections at the institution. All future elections shall be virtual. According to the council, this was aimed at “enforcing discipline and guaranteeing the security of students, staff, and other university stakeholders”.
Whereas strikes have been a growing “culture” in education institutions, it was observed that the prolonged closure of the sector due to the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the situation.
According to Daniel Kisambira, the president of the School of Education at Makerere University, students are not seen as partners in running the educational institutions. They are not represented in decision-making organs such as parents and teachers associations yet they are at the center of gravity in schools.
“In universities, the student leaders and administrators are always clashing. At secondary and primary levels, students have concerns but they are seen as young stars who have nothing to add to their decisions. Whenever students are going to strike, they send notifications to administrators but they are ignored and only react after lives are lost and properties destroyed,” Kisambira said.
Currently, in his school practice, he said the lack of patriotism among students lately is killing education institutions.
“When I met S1 learners for a history lesson last week, I asked them to tag their group discussions with names of countries and presidents that led them to independence. Unfortunately, none of the students wanted to associate with Uganda. Does this communicate something?” he asked.
Jackie Namakula, a teacher of English Language at Mengo SS, pointed to gaps in school rules and regulations that have not done much to curb strikes.
“When a child comes to school, they get this document but just pocket it and only refer to it when there’s any disciplinary issue. It is more of just a requirement for admission than a serious legal document binding them to carry on discipline and keep the environment at peace,” Namakula said.
She added: “In some schools, the rules are obsolete. You will find that some rules don’t answer the current challenges of discipline and peace in schools but they keep issuing them to students.”
At Mengo SS, she said, the administration normally holds orientation sessions for newcomers about the rules but it does not take away the fact that most schools don’t explain in detail to parents and students the rules before they are admitted.
Harsh punishments, indiscipline in students, peer pressure, weakness in administration to respond to warnings from students in advance, distress among teachers, and the culture of striking in some traditional schools, among others, were also noted as the leading causes of violent strikes. Unatu national chairperson Zadock Tumuhimbise said learners must be instilled with values of learning to harmoniously live and engage with others despite their differences.
“We must deliberately teach learners to love themselves, and others amidst the differences in colour, race, caste, gender, creed, language, customs, traditions, cultures, and abilities. If warmongers can use education to brainwash young people into war, the same tool can be used to inspire the same people into peace lovers,” he said.
RESPECT YOUR “CLIENTS”
To create safe learning environments, school administrators were urged to respect students and treat them as clients in business for both government and private institutions.
“Let us listen to our learners. We are past the era of shouting at students and commanding them to do certain things. The learners of this 21st century are not the ones during our times; they are inquisitive, know their rights, and know how things are done. This communication gap in our institutions is the major cause of unrest,” Ismael Mulindwa, the director of Basic and Secondary Education at the ministry of Education, said.
He encouraged school heads to keep positive relations with the teaching staff for heads-up on upcoming strikes because “we have evidence that there’s no strike that has succeeded without the influence of a teacher.”
The technical advisor of the Education Advocacy Network, Patrick Kaboyo, urged government-aided schools where strikes are rampant to borrow a leaf from the management style of private school owners.
“In the private, students are seen as clients while in government schools children are labelled Museveni’s children. If you want something to thrive, you must supervise it and give timely feedback to clients because you earn from it. Since the government does not extend any subsidies to private schools, owners must ensure that the cash flow is maintained. This calls for good business models to satisfy the clients,” Kaboyo said.
Commenting on the lack of current student representatives on school management committees, Mulindwa said this was a legal matter that calls for amendments in the Education Act. Despite the inadequacies in the law, he advised schools, in the meantime, to appoint dedicated students on some crucial school committees to help voice their concerns instead of staging violent strikes.
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