IT IS NOT LOGICAL TO BAN BOARDING EDUCATION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

 IT IS NOT LOGICAL TO BAN BOARDING EDUCATION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.

It is very possible that those who want the Government of Uganda to ban boarding education are advocating for a worse situation for the current and potential beneficiaries of this facility.

I had opportunity to be told a story of circumstances some very young children were going through. A teacher observed that two children were coming to school in most instances dirty, seemed not to bathe regularly, not well fed and many times did not have some basics for school with dirty uniform.

The teacher decided to ask the children what was exactly happening at home. The children told her that most of the time they care for themselves. They stay with their father but rarely see him. They get at home and organize for themselves and get to sleep. Their father comes back in the middle of the night and he leaves before they wake up. This is the routine. The teacher also got in touch with the father who stated his circumstances and job demands.

The Ministry of Education policy makers need to do research and find out circumstances why we are having very young children in boarding section. To many of the children, this is the ideal they can have. Many parents are taken up by the demands of work and it is great relief when they get professionals to take care of their children.

Many children are born outside marriage or at least one of the parents has one or two children not by his or her partner. The boarding facilities go along way in ensuring that a child with such background is cared for under circumstances of no abuse.

Many parents have had bad experience with house girls or house helps who not only abuse children but at times eat what belongs to the children and lead to starvation and or malnutrition.

What the Ministry of Education should do is to ensure that all schools that have boarding facilities for children 3 years and above get clearance by the District Education Department which department should inspect and ensure that the facilities in their place are worth for the good of the children.

There is no way the Ministry can completely ban the boarding facilities for such children. Surely, parents who need those facilities will get away out. Either they will have the children stay with teachers or ensure that the schools keep their children illegally.

Nobody should have sleepless nights over young children in boarding facilities. This is a service that has evolved out of need given the circumstances of the parents.