Africa-Press – Uganda. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces [UPDF] has constructed two classroom blocks at Bukaya Primary School, Njeru Municipality, Buikwe District, to help pupils whose lessons are being conducted under tree shades.
The development comes as pupils’ enrolment in some Universal Primary Education [UPE] schools, including Bukaya Primary School, increased in the post-pandemic era as Covid-19 forced some some parents to withdraw children from private schools.
Ms Edith Balunywa, the school’s headmistress hailed UPDF for its gesture adding that: “Our major challenge is lack of classroom space. Some of our pupils are learning under tree shades that are being interfered by the rains.”
Ms Balunywa spoke during a visit by a delegation of the East African Community [EAC] Armed forces last week.
The contingent was led by Ms Lydia Wanyoto, the head of mission of the 12th EAC Armed Forces Field Training Exercise, also known as ‘USHIRIKIANO IMARA 2022, which drew a total of 1,533 troops from the member states, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi and 10 observers from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
USHIRIKIANO IMARA
is a field training exercise aimed at dealing with counter piracy, disaster management and insecurity among other threats among the EAC member states.
“This is part of the corporate social responsibility and UPDF is constructing two classrooms in Bukaya Primary School, two in Nsuube Primary School and a maternity Ward in Ivunamba Health Centre II, Budondo Sub-county, Jinja City,” Ms Wanyoto informed.
Ms Harriet Nabirye, the in-charge of Ivunamba Health Centre II said the new development will save pregnant mothers from traveling to Budondo Health III and Jinja Regional Referral Hospital for antenatal and labour services.
“This maternity ward has empowered us in improving the health services for expectant mothers,” she observed.
Meantime, Bukaya and Nsuube primary schools are still grappling with lack of accommodation for the teachers, according to both head teachers.
“Some of our teaching staff commute daily and don’t turn up when it rains,” both head teachers jointly said.
Ms Hellen Gichuhi, Kenya’s Ambassador and Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organizations [UNESCO] acknowledged UPDF’s support at the same event..
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