President Yoweri Museveni has revealed plans by the government to establish a primary and a secondary school in every Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) barracks in the country to enable children of soldiers access free education.
He said government will also establish a UPDF science-based university to provide university education to the soldiers’ children.
Gen. Museveni, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Uganda Armed Forces, made the revelations while interfacing with Officers and men of Masindi Field Artillery Division in Masindi district in Bunyoro Sub-Region yesterday.
During the meeting that was also attended Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. David Muhoozi, Commandant of Masindi Field Artillery Division, Maj. Gen. Sam Okiding and several senior UPDF Officers, the President, however, stressed that the UPDF Military High Command will sit and decide on the number of children the Army will support per soldier.
“We are going to decide from the High Command on how many children shall be sponsored per soldier,” he said adding that children of the civilian population who will be admitted into these schools, will be asked to pay some school fees to subside on the government efforts.
The President, who had earlier interfaced with students of Masindi Army Secondary, commended the Artillery Division for ensuring that soldiers’ children were accessing free education in both primary and secondary schools based in the barracks.
“I am happy to learn that the children of our soldiers here are studying for free. We are going to expand this programme to all barracks,” he stressed.
On the plans of a UPDF science-based university, Gen. Museveni said science courses, such as engineering, medicine, nursing and midwifery, will be key while other courses such as Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting and Political Science, will be included.
He cautioned the soldiers against reckless lifestyles like promiscuity and alcoholism, among others, saying they will easily endanger their lives.
“In order for us to achieve our aims, we should preserve our health against bad behaviours. Since I came into power in 1986, you will never hear that Museveni has fallen sick or is admitted in hospital because I care about my health,” he explained.
President Museveni commended the Officers and men of the Artillery Division in Masindi for their diligent service to the nation saying they have done a commendable job of protecting the citizens and their property.
He pledged Shs. 100 million towards the Masindi Field Artillery Division soldiers’ spouses’ Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO); saying he was impressed to learn that the spouses were engaged in a number of income generating activities like poultry, piggery and mushroom growing from where they are raising money to supplement family incomes.
