KASESE DISTRICT CHAIRPERSON COMMENDS FACE THE CITIZENS FORAS

On 3rd September 2013 at 2:00Pm Kasese Municipality witnessed what we call "People Power People Action" when civil society organisations in the district joined the citizens to demand for accountability from the leaders. Kabarole Research and Resource Center (KRC) that had organised the event worked with other CSOs in the district to make the event what it was.
 

Hon. Tadeo Muhindo, Kasese District Vice Chairperson, responding to issues raised by the Citizens at Rwenzori Square in Kasese Municipality on 3rd Sept. 2013

The face the citizens campaign was a platform used by the citizens to put leaders to task to account for the period so far spent in Office since they were elected. The key issues raised were about the inadequate service delivery, the poor workmanship and, delivery of empty boxes by the NDA and  corruption cases in the district, scholarships to best performing S.6 students and the state of roads in the Municipality.

Mr. Wilson Asaba, ACAO- Kasese ( first right) listening to the citizens, Hon. Faulati Muhindo (left) making an inquiry before responding to question about why the construction of Kasese market had not taken off and the return of money in the 2012/13 budget by the Municipal council

While sensitizing the citizens on their rights and responsibilities, Mr. Primus of KRC, pointed out that it was the responsibility of every citizen to pay TAX, respect the national symbols as enshrined in the 1995 Uganda Constitution ( as amended from time to time).
Also commenting during the openspace meeting, the RWECO Coordinator, informed the leaders and citizens that information about service delivery was readily available online from: http://www.budget.go.ug/index.php?p=data-srch-top&flag=1

 RWECO also informed the citizens meeting that, the Kasese district budgets and workplans were uploaded on the district website: http://www.kasese.go.ug/ . That was in response to access of information by the citizens that RWECO supported all the 7 districts of the Rwenzori Region with E-Society Centers.

The KRC staff Mr. Patrick, also informed the meeting that, KRC had launched the project in Kasese district and was calling upon citizens and leaders to embrace the project if we must achieve the national objectives on good governance and social accountability.

Reported by RWECO Staff:
Ms. Felestus Masika
Gilbert M

Students free to use phones at school - government

Kampala- Government has directed secondary school head teachers to relax rules and allow students possess cellular phones.

According to Dr Yusuf Nsubuga, the director Basic and Secondary Education, there is no government policy that bars students from owning cellular phones at school, especially now that the gadgets are a necessity of everyday life.

The director, however, warned that the phones should not be used during class time.

“Teachers must appreciate that the world has changed and some rigid school rules of the 1980s and 90s are no longer applicable in this dot com era,” he said, while addressing head teachers from schools implementing the MasterCard Foundation Scholars scheme in Kampala.

He added: “If parents can buy phones for their maids at home, why can’t they do it for their children? A mobile phone is an education instructional resource, not a luxury. Students learn a lot when they use them.”

Dr Nsubuga said the argument by most schools that students are barred from using phones in order to avert strikes does not hold water.
“They (teachers) have failed to manage change. The strikes were there even before mobile phones came,” he said.

Students owning mobile phones has been a sticky issue and some secondary schools have in the past suffered violent strikes with students protesting the confiscation of their gadgets.

“What you need to do is to regulate the use but not a total ban. Give the students some breathing space so they can express and realise their full human potential,” said Dr Nsubuga.

But Mr Micheal Mpiima, the head teacher Ssaku SS in Luweero District, said allowing students to own mobile phones would make them more unruly.

Kyadondo East MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, whose son was expelled last year for being in possession of a cellular phone, welcomed the directive yesterday, saying teachers need to know that schools are not prisons.

“Schools are just a stage in the preparation of the country’s human resource. It is good the government has come out and we pray that school heads adhere to it. We are not saying students should use the phones all through. There should be regulated time for this to enable them communicate to their parents and friends.”

Mr Fredrick Ssempala, an education expert, said: “It is true a mobile phone can serve as an instructional tool but like any other technology, it goes with discipline. So, before the ministry tells the schools to change their rules on use of cellular phones, let there be sensitisation to students on how to use them because without this, they will instead become destructive.”

assenkabirwa@ug.nationmedia.com

Accessed on Monday 9th Septmeber, 2013:http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4835554732382685116#editor/target=post;postID=933698485282332204