Kabale national teachers college gets Shs8.5b face lift

The Assistant Commissioner in charge of Teacher Instructor Education and Training, Mr  Elicard Web Ndyabahika and the principal for national teachers college Kabale, Mr Benjamin Turyahikayo have appealed to the ministry of finance for continued release of capitation grants to government education institutions to enable them maintain the existing infrastructure.

Government of Uganda closed all the education institutions in March this year as a measure to contain the spread of coronavirus and on July 22, the Finance ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Keith Muhakanizi issued a directive asking all accounting officers in government schools to refund money that was transferred to them as capitation grant for the second term.

“We appreciate the grant extended by the Beligium Technical cooperation through its Enabel project for funding the rehabilitation of lecture rooms, science laboratories, resource center and dining hall, administration block sports grounds and the kindergarten complex at National teachers college Kabale. We appeal to the ministry of finance to keep releasing part of capitation grant to cater for the maintenance of these magnificent buildings until the students return for studies after the government lifts the Covid-19 lockdown. Capitation grant is not only for buying food for the students,” Mr Mr Ndyabahika said.

He was on Thursday speaking at the handover of 15 lecture rooms, three science laboratories, a resource center, dining hall, sports grounds, administration block and a kindergarten complex that were constructed at National Teachers College Kabale with funding  worth 1,962,445 Euros (about Shs8.5b) from the Belgium Technical Cooperation under its Enabel project in partnership with the government of Uganda.

The National Technical Assistant for Infrastructure unit of the Beligium technical cooperation Enabel project, Mr Frank Waibale said that whereas the contractor had been given 12 months of fixing any defaults, the administration of National teachers college must ensure that the rehabilitated buildings are cleaned regularly until the students report for studies.

The college principal, Mr Benjamin Turyahikayo said that they had a total enrollment of about 2,000 students that study diploma in secondary and primary education and the government provides only Shs1, 800 for each student for up keep and general maintenance of the college campus compound and buildings.