Two schools conduct lessons under tree shade in Ibanda

Pupils of two primary schools in Ibanda District are studying under trees after wind deroofed their classroom blocks.

Three classroom blocks at Mushunga Primary School in Ishongororo Sub-county and Kemihoko Primary Schools in Ishongororo Town Council were deroofed last week, forcing learners to study under trees.

Mushunga Primary School, with a total population of 532 learners, had three classroom blocks and one block was hit by a storm recently. As a result, some lessons are currently being conducted under tree shades.

Mr Pancrasio Ninyesiga, the head teacher of Mushungu Primary School, said the affected classes are Primary One to Primary Four, with at least 213 learners.

“Our three classrooms of P2, P3, P4, and top classes were taken by the storm. Now we do not have where to put our learners. We are using tree shades since the school has failed to put up temporary structures for the learners,” he said.

Learners have to brave the current unfavourable learning environment until the government comes to their rescue.

“We are now left with two classroom blocks, which were constructed by parents, but they are also dilapidated. The two structures accommodate only P7 and P6 classes and the offices. The government should give us more structures because we have only one structure that was provided by the government,” Mr Ninyesiga said.

He said the affected classroom blocks accommodated the greatest number of learners who now have nowhere to study from.

“When lessons are being conducted and it rains, lessons stop and as educationists, we know that this hinders the performance of learners and too much sunshine affects them too,” Mr Ninyesiga explained.

Mr Furugyensi Sigirenda, a parent at Mushunga Primary School, said they are wondering how children will complete Third Term when they are studying under the tree yet the rains are still coming.

“The school is almost gone, we request the government to help us because we do not have funds to bring back the school as parents. Studying has already been disrupted and we do not know how our children will complete this end-of-year term,” he said.

Mr Innocent Mwesigwa the chairman of the board of Parents Teachers Association (PTA), said the school is left with two classroom blocks with two classes each that were constructed by parents, which are also on the verge of collapsing.

Ms Dinavence Twinobusingye, also a parent of a pupil at Mushunga Primary School, said parents are worried about the learning environment in which their children are studying. 

“When they conduct classes from outside classrooms, children are affected by coldness, and their books get misplaced. Coldness affects them and we are worried about this situation now that it is the rainy season. We fear for their lives too,” she said.

Ms Patience Natukunda, a teacher of P2 learners at Mushunga Primary School, said:“We have challenges where we teach some classes from outside. It is challenging to complete lessons because the weather interferes with us and the blackboards we are using are too small to give enough work to learners.”

Mr Gad Mabanda, the head teacher of Kemihoko Primary School, said the facility has a population of 366 learners but at the moment they have nowhere to conduct lessons from since the wind blew the roofs of classrooms last month. 

“We tried to shift them to other classes and made a report to the district authorities who came to inspect the school but nothing has been done,” he said.

Mr Mabanda added: “Parents were able to raise Shs400,000 but it is not enough to even put up a temporary structure. We are requesting the government to come to our rescue.” 

Mr Happy Herbert Mayanja, the Ibanda District chairperson, said the local authorities do not have money to support the two schools, which are government aided.

“As the district, we are trying to look for stakeholders and organisations who can help these schools to put up the structures. We told parents and administration to plant trees, which will act as windbreakers,” he said.

CAO speaks out

Ibanda District Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Kweyamba Ruhemba said: "I went to the ground and talked to administrators of the schools and carried out some measures. People should plant trees and conduct proper monitoring of schools to avoid such scenarios."