L-R: Bagiire, Mugasa and Mulimba appearing before Foreign Affairs Committee
Government through Ministry of Public Service is demanding all foreign mission service workers to leave their children in Uganda, saying Government doesn’t have resources to pay the US$2,500 allowances in education for the children.
The details are contained in the 2021 Public Standing Orders that are slated to be published by the Ministry of Public Service and were made public in Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
Grace Mugasa, State Minister for Public Service informed the Committee that due to financial constraints, Government could not sustain coverage of the 50% of the cost of fees payable directly to the school in case of posted officer’s children of primary education age where the medium of instruction is English but education is not free.
The Minister explained, “In 2011 therefore, education allowances was subsidized at US$2,500 approximately Shs8.820Million and US$2000 per child per year. Therefore under the revised standard orders it is proposed that officers may leave their primary and secondary school going children in Uganda.”
However, John Mulimba, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Regional Affairs) warned about forcing foreign service officers leaving behind their children saying is an attack on humanity and likely to break up families.
Mulimba said, “We are aware that children growing up need care and attention of their parents, we are also aware that so many families have broken up because of separation of families. It is true it is because of financial constraints, but I think this is also a question of human rights, especially of children.”
However, Vincent Bagiire, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs defended the proposal saying the move will ensure the children have stability in their education system, noting that officers are posted to stations for 4years and take a break of 2years before they are sent to other stations, something he says would distort the learning of the children.
He said, “The service officers we deploy at missions with exception of heads and deputy heads of missions, we deploy them for a period of 4years. We need to discuss the aspect of children going to study in Europe and then return to the country, and distorting the learning of the children, that has to be put in consideration.”
