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Bundibugyo: Where pupils sit on stones during lessons
Pupils play in the compound at Kasaka Primary School in Bundibugyo District. PHOTO | LONGINO MUHINDO
What you need to know:
- They cite, among others, the urgent need to improve the infrastructure and recruit more teachers.
Public schools in the hard-to-reach areas of Bundibugyo District have called upon the government to come to their aid over the dire conditions they are in.
They cite the urgent need to improve the infrastructure and recruit more teachers. Other needs cited are a shortage of classrooms and insufficient pit latrines.
Despite the teacher understaffing, some schools are experiencing an overwhelming enrollment of pupils, surpassing 1,000 learners.
In certain instances, both learners and teachers are forced to share latrine facilities, posing a serious threat to sanitation challenges and privacy.
Some of the schools have continued operating within temporary and dilapidated structures and during bad weather conditions, the classes are disrupted.
Notable schools facing challenges include Kasaka, Budenge, Kistolima and Kanyangoma.
In Kitsolima and Kasaka primary schools, pupils study in dilapidated structures.
Mr Timothy Bukambi Bwambale, the head teacher of Kistolima Primary School, said the school lacks adequate structures and also its location is prone to landslides, endangering the lives of learners, particularly during the rainy season.
“I have communicated with the District Education Office (DEO) regarding plans to relocate the school to a safer area, free from the risks of landslides. The parents have expressed willingness to contribute towards securing new land. However, as of now, we are still awaiting feedback,” Mr Bukambi said.
At Budenge Primary School, Mr Julius Kambere, the school head teacher, said for years, they have been grappling with understaffing, as the school is currently allocated only four teachers and also has inadequate furniture for the pupils.
“We have only four teachers for an enrollment of 380 learners, and the lack of sufficient furniture is notable. Most of our learners have to sit on stones in our dusty classrooms,” he said.
Mr Kabende Bwambale, the deputy head teacher of Kasaka Primary School, shared concerns about the insufficient infrastructure at the school, including structures, toilets, and furniture, and said the absence of these facilities has led to an alarming increase in school dropouts.
“Last year (2023), we had more than 300 learners, but the number has significantly decreased. Surprisingly, these learners haven’t transferred to other schools,” he said.
“Instead, most of them are just sitting at home. The learning environment is far from ideal, and many students prefer staying at home rather than coming to school,” Mr Bwambale said.
At Bundimulinga Primary School, the head teacher, Mr Vincent Byomuntura, raised concerns about the current state of the school, which has an enrollment of 1,285 learners but only 14 teachers.
The Bundibugyo District Education Officer, Mr John Byamukama, acknowledged the challenges, before pledging intervention by the government.
He revealed that the district has plans to distribute desks to schools with a high number of learners and to recruit new teachers to address the problem of understaffing.
Mr Byamukama also disclosed that the district has submitted details of schools housed in dilapidated structures to the Ministry of Education, following a directive from the Local Government Finance Commission and they are waiting for any feedback.
