Mityana District leaders have raised a red flag about the dilapidated and inadequate structures as schools prepare to reopen next week.
During the inspection of schools across the districts, the leaders discovered that classrooms have cracks, leaking roofs while others lack roofs after they were blown off by heavy rains.
The Mityana District Woman Member of Parliament, Joyce Bagala says that they are concerned that the schools are in an appalling state.
According to Bagala, the inspection followed a meeting in which they agreed to mobilize parents to return the children to schools and also to get the views of all stakeholders and seek support from the government.
“We want to get the peoples’ views in order to devise means on how to lobby government to support the schools and parents but also as leaders to see where to intervene and how the children can help themselves,” said Bagala.
Bagala asked the parents, pupils, teachers, and all stakeholders to work together and desist from using the Covid 19 pandemic as an excuse since everyone is affected but instead focus on promoting a better learning environment as the schools reopen next week.
Mityana Municipality Mayor, Faustin Mukambwe Lukonge, said that although the biggest per cent of the learners’ population is from Mityana Municipality, the status of the schools’ facilities and the entire education sector is worrying.
The Mityana Central Division Mayor, Fred Wotonava cited Nkonya Primary School which has three teachers including the headteacher and 75 learners. He also says that the school has inadequate furniture.
He appealed to the government to consider recruiting more teachers. He said that one of the schools in the area, Butebi Islamic has 300 pupils but with only 8 teachers.
Edward Ssemiti, the Headteacher of Naama Primary School said the school operates in dilapidated that is dangerous to teachers and learners.
The inspection is still ongoing across the district.
