Full revised school calendar out; nursery schools reopening date announced

Janet Museveni. Courtesy Photo

Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports has released the revised academic 2020/21 academic year, ending in July.

In March 2020, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni closed school gates for about 15 million learners as a preventive measure against the spread of Covid19.

Schools reopened in October 2020 for non-finalists and non-candidates.

But millions of learners stayed home.

Days ago, President Museveni announced schools would reopen for semi-candidates (Primary Six, Senior Three and Five).

However, parents complained that several classes, including nursery school pupils, had been left out.

Now, a revised academic calendar shows reopening dates for all the classes.

According to education ministry permanent secretary (PS) Alex Kakooza, government will decide on recovery of lost time and rearrangement of the next (2021/22) academic year after July.

“The academic year 2020 for primary schools, secondary schools and post primary education institutions will end in July 2021,” PS Kakooza noted.

“Thereafter, a comprehensive school calendar for 2021 academic year, as well as a strategy for recovery of lost time, will be issued.”

He also talked about class promotion guidelines.

“Progression to the next class will be based on attendance and continuous assessment of class work and assignments.”

Revised School Calendar

Primary

P1, P2 & P3: June 7
P4 & P5: April 6
P6: March 01

Secondary

S1: April 12
S2: May 31
P6, S3 and S5: April 6

Technical schools, Post-Primary institutions and Universities: March 2021

Samuel Kamugisha

Samuel Kamugisha is a Ugandan journalist, editor, language instructor, poet, fiction and non-fiction writer. A Makerere University graduate of Journalism and Communication with a decade-long experience in news reporting, writing and editing, Kamugisha is Editor at The Pearl Times. Most of his previous work was published by The Observer. When he is not doing journalism work -- which is rare -- Kamugisha will be reading or writing a short story or a poem, or caught up in the writer's block.