The National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has pledged to provide free porridge and eggs in primary schools across the country as a way of curbing school dropout rates in rural areas.
Speaking at various campaign rallies in Kibuku District, Mr Kyagulanyi said if Ugandans entrust him with the presidency, he will address the deteriorating education sector by ensuring each pupil receives a cup of porridge and an egg daily to boost both academic performance and nutrition.
‘Children will have to take a cup of porridge and an egg as part of improving performance in schools,’ he said, adding that teachers would also receive salary increments.
Various studies suggest that the lack of a clear school feeding programme and absenteeism among teachers in government-aided schools have contributed significantly to high school dropout rates. Teachers under the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (Unatu) have been on strike since September 15, protesting against an unequal pay structure that favours science teachers over their arts counterparts.
Mr Kyagulanyi also pledged to rehabilitate dilapidated school infrastructure and equip health facilities with adequate medicine if elected into power.
Commenting on road infrastructure, he said many roads across the country have become impassable and pledged that his government would rehabilitate them and tackle the rampant theft of government funds. ‘Shs10 trillion is siphoned through corruption.
It’s possible to work on the roads and improve accessibility, especially in rural areas,’ he said. Mr Kyagulanyi also urged police officers to vote for a new government that would prioritise their welfare. He expressed concern over the high unemployment rates among the youth and promised that his government would create jobs to combat poverty.
POVERTY RATE
The Bukedi Sub-region’s poverty rate stands at 37 percent, compared to the national average of 35 percent. It is the second poorest sub-region in the country after Karamoja, with about 88.3 percent of households still relying on subsistence farming despite government interventions. Government statistics show that Bukedi’s per capita income stands at 43.7 percent, with a GDP per capita of $135 (Shs488,866).