Museveni: Uganda soldiers’ children to get free education

Uganda soldiers' children will soon start receiving free primary and secondary school education, following a directive by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

President Museveni on Saturday, February 25 directed the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) leadership to start offering free education to direct children of soldiers, so as to reduce their burden.

“I and other freedom fighters were not paid for 17 years. The only thing we would get was food and clothes, and when we started getting payment, still it was small. I told the fighters that although we are getting little money, we can run institutional schools which will provide free education for children of soldiers in government/army-run primary and secondary schools,” Museveni said during the 12th Tarehe Sita annual thanksgiving breakfast, as reported  by Daily Monitor.

The 78-year-old head of state said that the idea of free education to soldiers' childre, their spouses engaging in income-generating activities sponsored by the army, and the same wives using the barracks land for cultivation has been his wish since he came into power in 1986.

The Chief of Defence Forces Gen Wilson Mbasu Mbadi told the president that the directive will be implemented.

The UPDF is in charge of 36 primary schools, 11 secondary schools, four polytechnics and one medical school offering certificates in midwifery and other related areas.