Govt officials stunned by school conditions in Kamuli

Government officials overseeing the national school enrollment headcount were left shocked by the teaching and learning conditions in Kamuli District.

The exercise, which aims to verify enrollment and collect data entered by schools through the Education Management Information System (EMIS) for access to Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) funds, was conducted in Kamuli District on Wednesday and will run until August 30.

In July 2022, the Ministry of Education initiated a programme mandating all schools at every educational level to enroll in EMIS for various purposes, including establishing a baseline for student verification, aiding in educational planning, and managing assessments.

However, across all 12 primary schools—Nawanyago, Buphadengo, Wankole, Nawansaso, Buwala, Busandha, Lulyambuzi, Bulopa, Nalango, Butende, Wansale, and Buwoya—the enrollment of girls was alarmingly low, a trend that reversed in secondary schools like Kamuli Girls College, Bulopa SS, and Nalango SS.

At Buwala and Busandha Primary Schools, which have enrollments of 1,002 and 1,327 pupils respectively, officials were shocked to discover they are staffed by only 11 and 12 teachers, respectively.

At Busandha Primary School, Primary One and Two students, numbering 294 and 167 respectively, were crammed into a single dusty classroom, while 268 pupils in Primary Three were studying under the shade of trees.

“Yes, we receive 6.4 million shillings in UPE funds, but with conditional grants, we struggle to manage,” said Mr Fred Misango, the head teacher. “We have just started efforts to bring back children from sugarcane plantations and prevent early marriages. Out of 25 teachers, we only have 11 for all these children.”

Kamuli District Education Officer Mr Joseph Waibi explained, “The government directive is for all schools receiving grants, but since some secondary schools are conducting end-of-term exams, we wanted to avoid missing students when they go on holiday, which is why we chose Wednesday for the headcount.”

Kamuli Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Ms Sarah Kasadha noted that despite perceptions that schools inflate enrollment figures to access UPE and USE grants, the reality is that many learners are not captured in the EMIS.
She emphasized that while pupils, especially girls, are eager to enroll and complete their education, many parents have abdicated their responsibilities to the government.

Ms Ryspers Konso, the Bugulumbya Sub-county Chief, reported improvements in school enrollment, attendance, and retention after they revisited the situation, mobilized parents, and drafted mini bylaws.

Mr Hussein Mitala, Chairperson of the Kamuli District Primary Schools Association, expressed concern about "nomadic learners" and the poaching of upper primary students by private schools, which he said erodes the school system.

“The migration of pupils and the poaching of bright learners by private schools under the guise of scholarships, coupled with parents’ poverty levels—where some see older children as sources of income to be hired in sugarcane and rice fields—remains a big challenge for government schools,” Mr Mitala said.