Africa-Press – Uganda. The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has given iron sheets to three secondary schools in Kibuku District where students have been studying under tree shades due to lack of enough classrooms.
The support comes after the press, a subsidiary of Nation Media Group (NMG), published stories highlighting the poor state of structures at Kibuku Senior Secondary School, Tirinyi Seed Secondary School and St Stephen -Nanoko Primary School.
The government-aided schools have most of their structures dilapidated and condemned, which pose a big risk to the lives of the learners and teachers.
Speaking during the handover of 260 iron sheets to three beneficiary schools on Tuesday, the State Minister for Bunyoro Affairs, Ms Jennipher Namuyangu, said the plight of the students as forced the government to act.
“The government is committed to addressing challenges facing our schools because most of them lack better infrastructure that forces the learners to study under tree shades. Most of the structures at the affected schools have been condemned,” Ms Namuyangu said.
Of these, Kibuku Senior Secondary School received 100 iron sheets, Tirinyi Seed Secondary School also got 100 and St Stephen Nanoko received 60.
Ms Namuyangu challenged the school administrators to put the iron sheets to proper use, adding that any attempt to sell them will attract arrests. Mr Fred Ssamanya, the head teacher of Kibuku Senior Secondary school, said although the school is one of the traditional ones, it is struggling with inadequate infrastructure.
“Most times even lessons are disorganised by rain. This is a serious challenge the school is facing,” Mr Ssamanya said, adding that the school also lacks functional pit latrines.
The school was established in 1982 and is located in the centre of Kibuku Town Council, about 3km from Kibuku district headquarters.
According to Mr Ssamanya, the school has only six classrooms, of which two are now being used as staff classrooms and another as a computer laboratory.
The chairperson of Kibuku SS Board of Governors, Mr Faustino Waluya, earlier told that most of the school structures have been condemned for demolition.
“This situation is compromising the academic performance of students because they spend most of the time seeking for places of convenience,” he said.
For nearly five years, students of Tirinyi Seed Secondary School have been also struggling with inadequate classrooms leaving the learners to study under mango tree shades.
The deputy headmistress, Ms Jenet Mulongo, said the school has no permanent structure. “Most classes are operating in tree shades,” Ms Mulongo said.
The District Education Officer, Mr Christopher Wamika, however, said the government is in the final stages to begin the construction of some structures at Kibuku SS and others will follow depending on availability of funds.
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