Matia Kasaija, the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development says that Bridge International academies were closed recently because government suspected they were teaching pornography and the content related to lesbianism and homosexuality.
According to the Daily Monitor, The Minister was speaking at the 22nd graduation ceremony of Uganda Martyrs’ University (UMU) at their main campus in Nkozi, Mpigi District on Thursday.
“We could not allow teaching sexual matters in public. Why teaching pornography in Bridge schools? This moral decay couldn’t be tolerated…Stop conveying the gospel of homosexuality to our children. You should stop and stop.” he said.
From initial reports, the Ugandan Parliament through the High Court ordered the for-profit corporation Bridge International Academies backed by Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, respectively the founders of Microsoft and Facebook to close its schools for failing to meet the nation’s standards; schools provided unsanitary learning conditions, used unqualified teachers and were not properly licensed.
Bridge currently has 80 pre-primary and primary schools in Uganda run by American founders Jay Kimmelman and Shannon May.
Mr Solomon Sserwanja, the Public Relations Manager of Bridge International Academies reacted to the state ministers comments when contacted by the Newspaper saying: “I think it is very unfortunate for the whole minister to make such a statement based on allegations. He should come out with proof over the matter in question.”
“His (minister) statement is malicious and we will not take it lightly. We will explore all alternatives against him to proof the allegations. This is fighting quality education for the country. We were never given an ear to defend ourselves despite several letters we have written to authorities,” added Mr Sserwanja.
This is the response from Bridge: http://www.bridgeinternationalacademies.com
