The Ministry of Education has warned school administrators against defying an earlier directive to close the second term on August 6. The commissioner in charge of secondary education, Mr John Agaba, on Wednesday warned schools intending to defy the policy, saying they would be closed.

"I have heard those complaints and I have firmly told those against this policy to re-plan their school calendars if they think we have interferred in the running of their schools. Why would a head teacher complain if we have reduced one week on the previous schedule and carried it forward? It just requires planning," Mr Agaba told Daily Monitor on Wednesday.

A section of head teachers from private schools who talked to this paper complained that the policy would interfere with the current school timetables. "Why should they (ministry) interfere with the already drawn programmes? I have already budgeted for the terms. Where am I going to get extra money to supplement the one week carried forward to third term?" asked one head teacher.

The government directed secondary schools to close on August 6 instead 13 as stated in national school calendar. The directive also moves forward the reporting date for third term from September 6 to August 23.

For Technical and Vocational Institutes, the ministry directed August 23 for the opening of third term and December 3 as closing date. The Ministry's Permanent Secretary, Mr Francis Luganga, in a circular to all secondary and technical schools said the change was motivated by the need to give adequate time to schools particularly Universal Secondary Education schools to sufficiently cover the curriculum and prepare their candidates for national examinations.