Zombo RDC Closes Mvule P/S Over Poor Sanitary Facility, Classrooms

The Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Zombo, Festus Ayikobua, has ordered the temporary closure of government-aided Mvule Primary School for one week due to dilapidated structures and poor sanitation facilities.

Ayikobua made the decision during an impromptu inspection visit to the school on Thursday, March 13, 2025, alongside his assistant, Bruno Mananu Ubombo.

During the visit, the RDC found learners studying in open-roof makeshift structures, exposed to harsh weather conditions. Concerned by the state of the school, he called for an urgent meeting with stakeholders and immediately sent the learners back home until temporary solutions are implemented.

The school has only one latrine stance serving 436 pupils—both boys and girls—along with teachers, leading to severe congestion when nature calls. Ayikobua blamed the school administration for failing to properly utilize and account for the annual capitation grants provided by the government. 

He instructed learners to return on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, after the school administration addresses some of the immediate challenges. 

//Cue in: “The school is not good…

Cue out: …I am sending you all home.”//

By the time of filing this report, work was already underway to address the concerns at the school.

Mvule Primary School, located in Central Ward, Paidha Town Council, currently offers education up to Primary Five. The school has only three permanent classrooms, while other learning spaces are makeshift structures that lack desks. 

With an enrollment of 436 pupils and only seven government-paid staff members, the learning environment is dire. Pupils shared their struggles, citing challenges such as sitting on a dusty floor, lack of clean drinking water, and inadequate sanitation facilities for girls, all of which hinder effective learning.

//Cue in: “Challenge of dust…

Cue out: …we lack drinking water.”//

During the inspection, the school’s headteacher, Doreen Amia, was absent, while the deputy headteacher, Albert Kigongo, failed to convince the RDC and his assistant about the school’s situation. 

Teachers who were present at the time appeared to shift the blame to the headteacher and deputy, whom they accused of being the sole decision-makers in the school’s management. 

According to the school administration, Mvule Primary School receives annual capitation grants ranging between Shs 13 million and Shs 16 million. However, concerns remain over how these funds have been utilized.