Janet Museveni Warns Headteachers on Homosexuality in Schools 

The Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni has told headteachers to be more vigilant to stamp out homosexuality from schools.

The Minister expressed concern over the “immoral acts such as homosexuality and drug abuse that have infiltrated schools” around the country.

“As head teachers, you should be the gatekeepers of our culture,” said Janet during a meeting with headteachers and teachers from Eastern Uganda who have been attending a capacity building retreat at the National Leadership Institute (NALI), Kyankwanzi.

The retreat attracted 371 Head Teachers from both government and private schools in the Eastern Region.

“Let us not allow our young generation to get derailed under your watch,” she emphasised.

“Together let us put up a system that cannot allow those behaviours to flourish in our school environment and communities.”

President Museveni recently signed the Anti-Homosexuality Law, setting tough punishments for acts and promotion of homosexuality in Uganda.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa recently said children in schools were being recruited into acts of homosexuality.

Meanwhile, Janet told the Head Teachers and teachers that the government recognizes the central role they play in the delivery of Education to Ugandans.

“We remain committed to working with you to improve both the welfare and quality of Education to ensure service delivery. I also urge you to promote Patriotism values in schools as you interact with your teachers, learners and the communities you serve,” Janet said.

“The new lower secondary curriculum introduced 21st century skills which include critical thinking. This was in order to open up children’s minds so that they stop learning by cramming but they may begin to ask questions and feel free to give their own opinions instead of cramming to produce other people’s ideas for the exams without doing anything of their own,” she added.

Janet also cautioned the Head Teachers to be vigilant due to the current terrorist threats of attacks on the country.

“While the government is doing its part to provide the necessary security, as leaders of schools you are the first security officers in your institutions,” said Janet.

“Therefore, I call upon you to be vigilant and enforce necessary security measures within your means so as to ensure that no wrong characters enter your school to cause havoc on our learners,” the Minister emphasised.

On salary disparities among teachers, Janet said, “The issue will be solved with time.”

“Additionally, the implementation of the National Teachers policy is underway, and the future of our teaching profession is very bright.”

Brig. Charles Kisembo, the Director of NALI said during the retreat, the teachers proposed that some of the modules taught at NALI should be integrated into the primary and secondary school curriculum so that they intensify Patriotism ideology among the Ugandan children.

The Head teacher of Butebo Secondary School, Mr Robert Kiyega, who spoke on behalf of his fellow Head Teachers pledged to pass on the knowledge they have received from NALI to their learners and other community members.

“We promise to keep the Patriotism program very active in schools with guidance from your office so that we groom Ugandans who are ideologically oriented,” said Kiyemba, adding, “We also appreciate salary enhancements to science teachers as the arts teachers wait patiently for your usual goodwill.”

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