The minister of education and sports, Janet Kataha Museveni, unveiled the 2022 school calendar during the 28th education and sports review event held at Kololo airstrip on 15th December 2021. It features three terms of at least 14 weeks each and a three-week holiday break before the conclusion of the academic year in December 2022.
The first term runs from January 10th to April 15th, 2022. The second term will begin on May 9th and end on August 12th, 2022, while the third term will begin on September 5th and end on December 9th, 2022.
“All pre-primary, primary and secondary schools shall re-open on January 10th, 2022.”
– The minister said
Uganda broke the world record for longest school closures due to Covid 19. When the deadly virus invaded the world in 2019, Uganda, like any other country, went into a lockdown to curb the spread of the virus. Schools were one of the most affected sectors with over 15million Students sent away to Safety at home in March 2020.
The government had earlier tried to do a phased reopening in 2021, beginning with the candidate classes, but it was brought down by the shooting of the second wave of COVID-19. Students had to make another run home.
During her address, Minister Janet Kataha didn’t leave a stone unturned on the issues that students, parents, and schools faced in the time of lockdown.
“The long closure of schools has adversely affected our young girls who have fallen victim to defilement, teenage pregnancies and child marriages. Our schools, especially the Private schools, may not be able to reopen due to financial stress,”
– Honorable Janet said.
The government, however, emphasized while the students were still home that learning had to continue through television, radio, newspapers, and online teaching.
Universities were fast to adapt to online teaching. This made them not feel the impact of the school closure and lockdowns as much. In 2021, The International University of East Africa was ranked as the best online teaching university in Uganda.
Other sectors that are yet to reopen fully after nearly two years of closure are the entertainment industry and bars, inclusive.
According to the country’s president, Kaguta Museveni, the economy will fully reopen before February 2022 whether her citizens are vaccinated or not.
