Hailstorm damages Kasese govt school ahead of new term

Over 100 students from a government-aided school in Kasese District face disruption following a devastating hailstorm that damaged their learning institution ahead of third term which begins on September 18.

The hailstorm left over 100 iron sheets blown off classrooms at Kabirizi Primary School, casting doubt on whether the school will fully open on Monday.

The school head teacher Wilson Baluku told Monitor that three classrooms totally lost their iron sheets while another one was partially affected.

 “Our school enrollment stands at 219 students. If 114 of these students do not have classrooms, finding suitable accommodation becomes a significant challenge. It's not feasible for us to have primary seven pupils sharing classrooms with primary one pupils. The situation has become exceedingly challenging for us," Baluku remarked on Sunday.

He highlighted the urgency of addressing the issue, estimating that the school would need at least Shs7.5 million to repair the damaged classroom block.

"But the nature of our parents in this area is that most of them come during planting, weeding, and harvesting seasons. Most of them are peasants who come to cultivate cotton and maize in this area. It is not easy for them to support us in repairing these blocks," Baluku explained.

The heavy rain also destroyed banana plantations which had for more than two years been the main source of food for the school staff.

“The school will face the challenge of food which is likely to result in teachers going without lunch, affecting their effectiveness and the overall teaching and learning process,” Baluku observed.

Semu Bangahi, the chairperson of the school management committee, stated that all efforts were being made to ensure the school's reopening, as they sought solutions to the challenges posed by the disaster.

"I don't know what we'll do, but the school must be open. If we do not open, most of the learners here would drop out of school, and that is a situation we cannot afford to experience," Bangahi asserted.

George Mainja, the Kasese District Education Officer, recommended that the school management convene an emergency meeting involving all stakeholders to address the disaster's aftermath.

However, he disclosed that the “district lacked an emergency fund to respond to such natural calamities in the current financial year.”

"If there are no alternatives, we may have to consider closing the school, which is not our intention," he added.

This incident occurred just a week after a hailstorm in the same district left eleven households in Kahendero I Cell of Kahendero Ward, Muhokya Town Council, homeless as it tore and sent roofs off their houses.