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Gulu District authorities ban swimming in schools
Banned. Pupils enjoy swimming classes. Gulu Municipality education department has banned swimming classes for pupils in nursery and primary schools across the municipality. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
What you need to know:
- Swimming rules. Among other recommendation the Municipal Education department proposing for nursery and primary schools to have in place before conducting swimming lessons include qualified swimming instructors, inflatable children’s swim floats and life jackets.
Gulu. Gulu Municipality education department has with immediate effect banned swimming classes for pupils in nursery and primary schools across the municipality.
The ban follows a recent incident in which a nine-year-old South Sudanese drowned in a swimming pool in Gulu Municipality.
Bol Garang Diar, a Primary One pupil of Credo Day-care Nursery and Primary School in Laroo Division, was found dead at Bomah Hotel swimming pool on February 19.
The deceased was part of 82 pupils who had been taken for swimming classes last week.
Mr Richard Irwenyo, the Principal Gulu Municipal Education Officer, told Daily Monitor that the ban that took effect on Tuesday is to ensure safety and security of children at schools.
“Our decision was followed by the fact that the children are at great risk of accidents while at school. Swimming is not in the school curriculum, if a school treats it as an extra-curricular activity, they have to follow strict guidelines so that they don’t put lives of pupils at risk,” Mr Irwenyo told Daily Monitor in an interview on Wednesday.
He noted that at the moment, all schools have been given notice not to conduct any swimming classes for pupils until they get clear guidelines from the Ministry of Education and Sports regarding the safety and security of pupils
He said they are making consultations to understand the criteria schools follow to conduct swimming classes in the central region.
Mr Irwenyo says although many nursery and primary schools conduct swimming classes in public swimming pools, data on such schools is scanty, adding that with the ban in effect, they will conduct verification to ascertain the schools.
Most schools within Gulu Municipality conduct swimming lessons at hotels.
He said the ban also applies to secondary schools, especially at St Joseph’s College Layibi, which has a swimming pool.
“When we get clear guidelines from the Education and Sports Ministry, we shall sit down with all the school heads in Gulu Municipality and discuss the safety measures they have to undertake to have swimming classes,” he said.
Mr Alphaseus Esabo, the head teacher of El-Shadai Primary School welcomed the ban saying schools ought to put strict guidelines on safety and security of the pupils.
He said swimming classes are not bad, but the accident was due to negligence.
Good move
Ms Suzan Ukech, who has three children, two in primary and one in nursery at Credo Day Care Nursery and Primary School said the ban is a good move.
“The incident that happened was so unfortunate, it has, however given us exposure of what happens to our children when they are taken out for swimming, it means they are not given any attention. I welcome the ban,” she said.
Requirements
Swimming rules. Among other recommendation the Municipal Education department proposing for nursery and primary schools to have in place before conducting swimming lessons include qualified swimming instructors, inflatable children’s swim floats and life jackets.
