Fobesa Nandudu, one of the parents told Uganda Radio Network that she was forced to transfer her child from the school because of the unfavorable learning conditions. She explains that since she took her child to Bunambutye Primary School, his performance has been deteriorating.
The number
of candidates at Bunambutye Primary School in Bulambuli district has
drastically dropped from 41 to 14 learners. The school that operates in tents was
started by the Office of the Prime Minister–OPM for the children of people
displaced from high-risk areas in Bugisu region.
URN visited
the school recently and found only 14 out of the registered Primary 7
candidates. Some of the parents explained that they relocated their children to
the neighbouring Tabagonyi Primary School in Bumufuni Sub County because they
were not learning in the resettlement camp. Tabagonyi is about 2
kilometers away from the resettlement camp.
The parents claim that their children would arrive at school
and spend the day playing yet they are supposed to prepare for their Primary
Leaving Examinations-PLE next month. Fobesa Nandudu, one of the parents told
Uganda Radio Network that she was forced to transfer her child from the school
because of the unfavourable learning conditions.
She explains that since she took her child to Bunambutye Primary School, his
performance has been deteriorating. According to Nandudu, her child told
her that the teachers don’t teach citing the lack of teaching materials and
nonpayment of their allowances and salaries.
She says that they held a meeting with the school and agreed
to take their children to Tabagonyi Primary school, where they registered them
for PLE.
Lumasaba byte
//Cue in: “Nga kuli kwiikalillika…
Cue out:…kwaama esomero”//
Sam Wanga, the Bunambutye
Primary School Management Committee Chairperson, says that since its
inception, the school has faced a number of challenges, which affect the
learners.
In his view, the absence of facilitation from the government to the school
including paying teachers and buying learning materials like textbooks has
greatly affected learning at the school. He says this explains why the majority
of the parents have removed their children from the school.
Wanga says that he has written severally to the authorities and visited the
district over the same but nothing has been done to address their challenges.
Lumasaba byte
//Cue in: “Babana basali bafula…
Cue out:…ndi nibwiino”//
Wilson Nathan Wanansolo, the Chairperson of the resettlement camp wonders
whether the school was established by government agencies or not. He says the
failure by the authorities to give teachers their appointment letters and salary
has been the biggest challenge to learning.
Lumasaba byte
//Cue in: “Lisomelo boona…
Cue out:…banasomesa batyeena”//
Teachers at the School decry the poor working conditions, under which they
operate, saying that they have been neglected by the officials since they were
posted to the school. The teachers say they have to operate as a community
school only depending on handouts from parents since the inception of the
school in June 2019.
They say the school operates on its own without even
proper classrooms and latrine.
The only available latrine is shared by teachers and
learners. Mark Busheindich, one of the teachers at the school says the dusty
and hot classrooms make it hard for a teacher to concentrate.
//Cue in: “It is because…
Cue out:…the learning conditions”//
Ali Moya and Fred Gidudu, both P.7 teachers said that they have not received
their allowances since March last year and that no one speaks about the
conditions under, which they operate. They say learners started reducing from
the school until only 14 remained.
//Cue in: “In this school here…
Cue out:…with our pupils,”//
Ibrahim Gimadu, the Bulambuli District Education Officer, acknowledged the bad
conditions under, which the school is operating. He, however, said the school is
still under the Office of the Prime Minister, which is supposed to pay the
teachers.
//Cue in: “for sure teaching and learning…
Cue out:…ready to pay them”//
Peter Pak Pekes, the Bulambuli Resident District Commissioner, says the school
was started as a community school and parents have the responsibility of taking
care of the school. He said plans are underway to code the school, which will
address its challenges.
AYUBU KIRINYA
Freelancer