St Kizito Secondary School, Banda in Mityana District, has reminded the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, and the education ministry of the unfulfilled pledges 14 years later.
According to Ms Betty Namale Ssebulime, the school head teacher, during his visit at the school in 2011, the President promised to construct for them a two-unit science laboratory which remains incomplete.
“He found us grappling with infrastructure shortages and promised us a laboratory. Despite the structure being erected in 2019, it remains empty without the necessary equipment,” she said, addressing a school fundraiser and music album launch on August 15.
The function was graced by Ms Judith Nabakooba, Minister for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, as Chief Guest. Ms Namale requested the minister to reach their message to the President.
“The laboratory lacks gas, running water, and hydroelectric power among others. So, we are yearning for completion of that science laboratory,” she added.
Due to a shortage of enough classrooms to accommodate all the learners, the laboratory was turned into classrooms, but this inconveniences students especially during practical lessons.
She claims they have moving blackboards and some of their students study under tree sheds but are usually interrupted by rains and scorching sun.
“This affects the quality of learning, specifically the learning of sciences, which according to the current policy are compulsory. We even have A’level students who do science combinations.”
Subsequently, the head teacher asked the ministry of education to fulfill a promise made by the then minister of education (now Vice President), (Rtd) Major Jessica Alupo, to construct for the school staff houses.
With a total of 33 teachers, 19 on government payroll and 14 on private, the school has only six rooms, with at least six teachers accommodated in one unit.
“Being a rural school, there’s no rentals in the neighbourhood where our teachers can rent houses. Adding more staff houses will decongest the crowded rooms,” she said.
Ms Nabakooba appreciated the fact that President Museveni built the laboratory and promised to take their requests of equipping it with necessary equipment to the responsible people.
She also promised to remind the education ministry of the staff house’s promise. “I want to assure you that I will make sure these promises are fulfilled. I am going to work with the head teacher and we will write a letter reminding the President and the minister of education.”
The minister urged students to put in efforts and appreciate their parents’ sacrifice, noting that the gift a parent can ever give to their children is taking them to school.
Additionally, she thanked the school for engaging students in different activities, including singing, having launched their music album on the same day.
Ms Nabakooba alongside the school administration, old students and parents also laid a foundation stone to the construction of a three classroom block at this school.
Mr Erisa Biribaasa, the treasurer of this project, told the minister that they need Shs250 million to pull off this project.
He noted that the idea of constructing this structure was initiated by the old students of this school, who have so far collected over Shs70 million.
“The architectural plan was designed and we believe we shall start construction before the end of this year.”
(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src=” fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));
