UPC mourns Prof. Kiddu and sends holiday message to parents

Kampala | Pre-primary, primary, and post-primary schools across the country will officially end their second terms on Friday, August 23.

However, a number of schools, particularly privately owned ones, have returned students ahead of Friday.

According to the UPC party, third term has a significant impact on learners’ past and future performance.

“This is not only vital for candidate classes (P. 7, S. 4 and S. 6) that sit for mock examinations ahead of the Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) examinations, but also to lower classes that should be well guided and given confidence as they prepare to get back for the key 3rd term,” the partys head of media and communications, Muzeyi Faizo said.

Speaking to the press on Wednesday, Faizo stated that third-term performance determines the transition to new classes and levels of education. 

“Every aspect of the new curriculum that is practical based ought to be put in practice.

“This a very critical and delicate stage of our children that should be well handled given their highly growing numbers which stand at over 70% of the national population.”

According to him, UPC is concerned that some of our holidaymakers become involved in negative social behaviour, such as drug abuse, rather than assisting their parents and guardians at home.

The behaviours, Faizo noted at times affect their journey of schooling.  

“In turn, drugs can become addictive and quite very expensive for a dependent like a student to sustain thus triggering other means of raising funds to practice the vice.”

He informed the assembled media at Uganda House on Wednesday that early child pregnancies, child labour, and marriages are other issues facing our society.

The political party urged that holidaymakers be counselled on how to avoid danger, which has the potential to spread HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases to both boy and girl child.

He reiterated that UPC is fully aware of all of these related challenges for our children during the holidays and urged parents to “take a keen interest in monitoring and nurturing them” while at home during this brief vacation.  

What they can do.

Faizo advised that the best way for learners to stay fully focused is to become involved in family life and contribute to routine tasks such as gardening, poultry, livestock keeping, and craft making, which can provide productive skills. 

“This is what can help a holiday maker to be more balanced, exposed and love the environment hence graduating as a responsible citizenry.”

Prof. Kiddu Makubuya

“On a sad note, UPC sends sincere condolences to the family, friends and Government for the loss of Prof. Kiddu Makubuya, the former Attorney General of Uganda who died early this week.”

Makubuya died on August 19, 2024. He served the country in different capacities, most notably as Attorney General.

He died aged 75.