Museveni’s school dilapidated
Teachers look at the dilapidated structure that is part of classroom blocks at Kyamate Primary School. PHOTO BY Perez Rumanzi.
What you need to know:
President Museveni, First Lady and First Deputy premier Eriya Kategaya all attended Kyamate Primary school, which is currently dilapidated.
NTUNGAMO
A classroom block at Kyamate Primary School in Ntungamo where President Museveni and other prominent people got their elementary education in 1950s is near collapse.
The school has an enrollment of more than 450 pupils currently housed in two building blocks. The oldest block, with five classrooms constructed in the early 1950s, is nearing collapse and the floors are dusty with limited furniture, leaving some pupils to sit on the floor.
Mr Geofrey Ntereire, the head teacher, told Daily Monitor on Tuesday that they have on many occasions appealed to stakeholders to fund construction of new structure but the lobbying has not yielded anything.
President Museveni, First Lady Janet, First Deputy Prime Minister Eriya Kategaya, Minister of Animal Industry Bright Rwamirama, among other government officials, attained their elementary education from the school.
“This old building may cause harm to pupils any time. Roofs are leaking, the walls have cracked, the floor is not cemented, but the pupils have to keep in the classrooms because they have nowhere to go,” Mr Ntereire said.
Mirror of education institution
Ntungamo mayor Jacob Kafureka said he urged the municipal council to fundraise for the classrooms construction but that the council objected, saying the district instead should spearhead the project. Mr Kafureka said he will lobby for classrooms construction.
“Besides being a school where the president studied from, we need to create a good learning environment for pupils and teachers. We are also surprised that the school does not perform better. There are many issues to fix if the school is to gain its standard again.” Mr Kafureka told Daily Monitor.
Mr George Karamira, the FDC chairperson Ntungamo, who also studied at the school, said the face of Kyamate is a sign of proper neglect of the education system in the country.
“What do you think other schools look like? That’s the face of the country-where the President studied. Do you expect a school in Kapchorwa to be better? It’s a simple sign of failure,” Mr Karamira said.
The District Education Officer, Mr Charles Bakaine, said the district constructed four classrooms when School Facilities Grants funding was not yet suspended and that the school now falls in the municipality and should therefore cater for its improvement.
Mr Ntereire said the school currently needs at least more 10 classrooms, an office among other facilities. He said the school authorities shall continue pestering the government.
