22 years later: Kiboga UPE school operates under trees

Kiboga. St Joseph Primary School, a government school under Universal Primary Education (UPE) at Kyeyitabya Village, Bukomero Sub-county in Kiboga District has been in existence for for 31 years, but with pupils conducting lessons under tree shades, Daily Monitor has established.
The school, established in 1987, has a population of more than 400 pupils. It was registered as a public school in 1997.

Mr Maswa Ddumba, the school head teacher, says the government took over the school when lessons were being conducted under tree shades and that even when government promised to construct classroom blocks, this promise has not been fulfilled.

“Every year, we get promises from district authorities that construction of classrooms will start soon, but we end up closing the academic year in similar conditions,” Mr Ddumba, who has served the school for 20 years as the head teacher, says.

He reveals that during morning hours, he stands in the middle of the school compound and watches pupils report for studies from different corners of the village, moving straight to their respective trees for lessons.

He says each class has a specific tree where they conduct lessons.
The school has six classroom teachers on government payroll, serving seven classes. Ideally, a primary school must have 17 classroom teachers.
Mr Ddumba says they still need more teachers but that those who are posted to the school run away due to poor working condition.

The teachers sleep in grass-thatched huts voluntarily built by community members who at times support them with food.
“It takes resilience to work here, the harsh weather such as heavy rain and sunshine have forced many teachers to run away,” Ms Florence Nabaggala, a Primary Three teacher, reveals.

The only standing permanent structure at the school is the incomplete pit-latrine and a church.
However, Ms Nabaggala says when it rains, pupils are not allowed to seek shelter in the church since it is locked throughout the week and only opens on Sunday for service.

She further says during rainy seasons, a few pupils turn up for classes, which affects their performance because they can’t complete the syllabus. From Kyeyitabya Village, the nearest school is about 4km away and parents say they cannot risk their children walking through thick bushes unaccompanied.

“We could have taken our children to Nakaseeta Parents Primary School, which has permanent structures, but it is far away and we cannot escort them daily,” Mr Samuel Ssejjuko, a parent with two children at the school, says.

Mr Augustine Muliko , the Kiboga District inspector of schools, says the school failed to get permanent structures because the Catholic Church, which is its founding body, refused to hand over the title deed to the district. The school sits on a five-acre piece of land.
“Building Tomorrow, a non-governmental organisation, had offered to build for us two classroom blocks, but the Church refused to give us the title. I am happy that the bishop of Kiyinda–Mityana looked into this matter and gave us the go ahead to put up buildings,” he says.

Mr Eria Ssebuyungo, the Kiboga District education officer, says the district is planning to start construction of classroom blocks next Financial Year 2019/2020.
“The construction of a permanent pit-latrine is nearing completion, an indication that we are doing something,” Mr Ssebuyungo says.

[email protected]