By March 18, 2021, much as the lockdown had resulted in curbing down the widespread of Covid-19, the country’s economy had started declining rapidly.
By Ecungu George William
Soroti – January 10, 2022: Uganda is one of the countries which imposed the longest lockdown as a measure to curb the spread of Covid-19. Because of the lockdown, the country has registered lower infections of Covid-19 as compared to other countries.
The lockdown in Uganda was first announced on Wednesday, March 18 2020 whereby all sectors were suspended from operations. These included among others public means of transport, all areas of learning, all places of worship, all weekly markets and so on.
By March 18, 2021, much as the lockdown had resulted in curbing down the widespread of Covid-19 in Uganda, the country’s economy had started declining rapidly.
The over 15 million young Ugandans who were sent back home due to lockdown by that time had undergone many challenges: many girl children being defiled, many of them conceived, on the side of boys, many became drunkards, some committed different crimes such as theft, rape, defilement among others.
Before the recent Presidential address on Saturday, December 31, 2021, Uganda had registered a massive number of early pregnancies and early marriage cases compared to 2019. This indicates that, much as the lockdown saved our children, it pushed them into another world of darkness.
With all learning institutions reopening on Monday, January 10, 2022, analysis have shown that almost 25% of the 15 million young Ugandans who were on March 18, 2020, sent back home are likely to remain home due to various reasons. For example, some of them conceived, others were either forced to get married or decided to get married by themselves.
Additionally, some lost their parents or guardians, others committed various crimes and as we speak they are under detention.
Research has also revealed that some of the parents may not be in a position to pay tuition, especially those in the private sector, many of them had not completed fees payment at the time of school closure.
Those who get money through agriculture have been hit by drought across the country and those carrying out business were greatly affected since markets and movement were all restricted.
With this, it is therefore clear that many children shall not go back to school. It is, therefore, the right time for the government to prepare a plan for these young Ugandans.
Without Covid-19, they would have continued studying, but due to a lockdown, these children have been forced to remain home. First, the government should come up with various sponsorship programs for learners.
For example, it would be good for the government to sponsor studies of all children whose parents died of Covid-19.
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Secondly, amnesty should be issued to all learners who are in prison such that they go back to school. We have learners whose sponsors were from abroad, unfortunately, they all died of Covid-19, and government should consider such learners too.
Another thing the government should consider is extending affordable or even free skills training programs to all communities to absorb those learners more so the youth who got married to also attain livelihood skills in tailoring, mechanics, and building, among others for their survival.
They should be imparted with knowledge and encouraged to form groups, register them to increase their chances of getting government support financially such as the Parish Development Model program.
These young Ugandans who may not return to school, if they are not considered shall become wrong elements in the society.
For example, some shall become tax defaulters, claiming that they have nothing to do, others will resort to theft, alcoholism, violence, among other kinds of crimes that could jeopardize the country.
They shall become weeds that will hinder the growth of others in the society, so government should have a good plan for them to stop them from becoming destructors of the nation.
The writer is a senior political activist and opinion leader in the Teso sub-region
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