100 set to join five-pupil UPE school

At least 100 pupils have been registered to join Kenyange Muslim Primary School in Kasese District after the government-aided institution last year ended the term with five pupils.

 The Kasese Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Elias Byamungu, said to address the challenge of low enrolment this year, they appointed a new head teacher who was tasked to mobilise new pupils.

The head teacher, Ms Hadijja Hussein Muhindo, said they have mobilised and registered about 100 pupils whom they expect to report today.

 “During the holiday, we did enough mobilisation, we held several meetings from village up to sub-county level and parents promised to send their pupils today,” she said at the weekend.

 She said during the meetings, they agreed with parents to come with their children on reporting day and they also agreed to start providing meals every day.

 She said there are now six teachers who are ready to handle the pupils.

 “For us we are more than ready to receive pupils, we have done general cleanliness, the only challenge is we have few desks. In case the number of pupils increases we may need more desks, also one classroom block of four classes needs renovation,” she said.

 Ms Muhindo said all the 100 pupils are distributed in all classes from Primary One to Primary Seven.

 The school last term had 12 teachers who were teaching five pupils; one in Primary Three, two in Primary One and two in Primary Two.

 The school suffered the challenge of low enrolment after the reopening in January 2022.

The school is located in Karusandara Sub-county, which has six other government-aided primary schools - Kyabaga Muslims, Karusandara SDA, Karusandara, Kenyange, Kanaba and Kibuga.

 The five pupils who were at Kenyange Muslim PS last year used to trek between seven and 10 kilometres. With no accommodation on site, the dozen teachers were residing in Kasese Town.