Govt commissions Seed School in Butaleja with staffing gaps
The Butaleja Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Ms Hajira Namagogwe and the head teacher of Nakwasi Seed School in Butaleja District, Mr Juma Mulesa (with a stick), and other district officials tour the school during commissioning. Photo | Yahudu Kitunzi
What you need to know:
- It is one of the seed schools built by the government under the first phase of the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal transfers (UgIFT) programme. The government embarked on constructing seed secondary schools across the country.
The Ministry of Education and Sports has commissioned a Shs2.2 billion Nakwasi Seed Secondary School in Butaleja District.
It is one of the seed schools built by the government under the first phase of the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal transfers (UgIFT) programme. The government embarked on constructing seed secondary schools across the country.
Mr Juma Mulesa, the school head teacher, said the current projection of enrollment is high yet the teachers are not enough.
“The required number of staff is 31, which includes 25 teaching and six non-teaching staff, but the government recruited 21 members only. We need more staff members,” Mr Mulesa said.
He also appealed to the government to build a school fence, and extend power to the school to guard against the likely insecurity.
Mr Mulesa is optimistic that the newly equipped science and computer laboratories will be able to attract more students.
The school will serve about five sub-counties, including; Butaleja town council, Himutu, Mazimasa, Butaleja rural sub-counties and Paya in Tororo District.
The Butaleja Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Ms Hajira Namagogwe, represented the Minister of Education and Sports, Ms Janet Museveni at the function.
The school which sits on 11-acre piece of land started operating in 2006 with 150 learners and currently has a total of 386 students of Senior One and Five.
The School’s Board Chairman, Mr Joshua Hamba Nehole, said they observed a big crack on the boy’s latrine which needs urgent attention.
“We need the contractor to come back and rectify the problem of cracks on the latrine. We cannot allow these cracks in this new school,” Mr Nehole said.
The acting Butaleja District Education Officer (DEO), Ms Janet Christine Akol, said access to education in the district is still a challenge as some sub-counties lack secondary schools.
“Some areas don’t have secondary schools. This is hampering access to education in the district. We appeal to the government to construct more schools in this area to reduce the burden of long distances the learners walk every day,” Ms Akol said.
