Know if your child is eligible for TFF

The National Letters

SCHOOLS across the country will tart this academic year soon.
Teachers will be travelling back to their respective postings on Jan 23 to resume duty while students’ registration and classes will eventuate on Jan 31.
I am pleased and satisfied with the much-needed and timely help from the Government of the day with the free education policy.
Parents are struggling, especially with the impact of Coronavirus.
Parents should be aware that free education is meant for genuine students only and should fall in one of the following categories:

  • CONTINUING students from last year, whose names are on the official class list of 2021;
  • OFFICIALLY selected Grade 9 and 11 students who provide their acceptance letters at registration;
  • STUDENTS who withdrew from school last year (2021); and,
  • STUDENTS with official transfer certificates, if they are transferring from one school to another.

If a student is not in any of the categories above, then parents should not force them into schools.
Most parents will always argue that its free education and their children have a right to education.
This argument is outdated and meaningless because they are not in any way helping their children.
Abusing the free education policy will directly result in increased enrolment.
This means schools will be overcrowded.
Overcrowding will ruin schools because most schools in the country lack the capacity to cater for large numbers of students.
Overcrowding will create chaos in schools, thus, affecting the quality of education.
The free education policy is aimed at addressing challenges faced by parents, but look at the other side of the coin.
Parents should understand that educating a child is not an overnight thing.
It is a lifelong process and should be taken seriously right from the start.
Students need strong and proper foundations.
Education policies should include considerations of quality education.

Paul Okukson Kawage,
HOD Mathematics,
Bugandi Secondary School