Nakaseke district has resolved to use terrazzo to build classroom floors in government schools.
The development comes after several reports of cracked floors in classrooms of government schools in the district.
According to the report by District Education Committee, several schools in the district have cracked floors and ceilings.
Joyce Nakayenga, the Chairperson of Nakaseke Education and Health Committee, lists some of the affected primary schools which include; Bugabo, Kyalusesa, Kimotozi and Biduku Primary Schools. Katalekamese Seed Secondary is also among the schools affected.
Nakayenga says that some of the schools developed cracks within the same financial year after commissioning them. She says that some of the cracks are the result of poor building materials and workmanship.
As result, Nakayenga says that the committee recommended and the council approved a resolution to use terrazzo on the construction of floors instead of cement to address part of the cause of rampant cracks in the buildings.
Stephen Batanudde, the Nakaseke District Education Officer says that the resolution was made after consultation with the engineering department and other districts which are already using terrazzo during construction.
Batanudde however observed that this will necessitate revision of budgets for the construction since terrazzo is more expensive than the use of cement during construction.
In the financial year 2022/23, the education department will spend 63 million shillings to construct two classroom blocks at each selected school. Sarah Nakalungi, the Nakaseke District Chief Administrative says that the district will need an extra 17 million shillings per classroom block if they use terrazzo.
Nakalungi however said that terrazzo is cost-effective in the long run and more durable than cement.
The district intends to pilot the project by using terrazzo in the construction of 3- 5 schools in the financial year 2022/23.
Emmanuel Kizza, the Chairperson of the Uganda National Teachers Union in the Nakaseke district welcomed the resolution saying that school floors that are constructed with cement don’t last above two years without cracks because they are unable to withstand regular movements by pupils.
“To me, I support the use of terrazzo because it will help us to save costs on repairs a few years after commissioning the classroom blocks,’’ says Kizza.
Robert Ssenu, the LCIII Chairperson of Kikamulo sub-county says although he supports the use of terrazzo, he has reservations about the costs involved in the construction of classroom blocks.
Ssenu explains that currently the district will need shillings 97 million for the construction of two classroom blocks using terrazzo but this seems to be high compared to the sizes of the classes built.
“If there was value for money in government, the district would construct more classroom blocks using the same budgets. The high costs of construction have led to few classroom built within a financial year,” he added.
According to Nakaseke district budget estimates, shillings, 14.3bliion out of 33 billion shillings will go into the education department.
The department intends to construct two classroom blocks at Nakaseke SDA , Lujumbi and St. Andrew Baggwa Primary schools among others each at 67 million shillings.
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