Kalungu dilapidated schools struggle to educate learners

In Kalungu district, the plight of students and teachers in government schools has reached a critical juncture, with dilapidated infrastructure and insufficient resources threatening the quality of education.

St. Mary's Charles Lwanga Kisittula School, a government-owned institution with a 30-year legacy, stands as a poignant symbol of these challenges.

The school, catering to approximately 500 students, is grappling with structural decay exacerbated by heavy rains.

"Some students fear the buildings might collapse on them," lamented Justine Katuushabe, a teacher at the school. Indeed, the primary six and primary seven classrooms bear visible signs of neglect, with crumbling bricks and leaky roofs leaving students vulnerable during inclement weather.

"The environment is extremely challenging," remarked pupil Innocent Mujuni, highlighting the difficulties faced by learners in their pursuit of education.

Many students have been forced to drop out, while others endure the discomfort of sitting in overcrowded, deteriorating classrooms.

The situation echoes across other schools in the district, such as Kiti Cope Primary School, where students sit on the floor due to a severe shortage of chairs.

Headmaster Mustafa Bwanika  emphasized that inadequate infrastructure extends beyond classrooms to include a lack of proper toilet facilities, further compromising students' well-being and dignity.

At Kapeere Memorial School in Lukaya, the challenges persist with only one structurally sound building.

To accommodate more students, a wooden structure was erected, though it too suffers from instability.

"We lack teachers' houses," said Vincent Kiweewa, a teacher at the school, underscoring the broader infrastructure deficits that hinder effective education delivery.

The situation is equally grim at Lukaya Muslim Primary School, where students contend with overcrowded classrooms and inadequate seating.

"One chair for eight students is common," revealed the headteacher, reflecting the severe shortage of essential resources. The school's facilities, including toilets, are in disrepair, posing health risks to both students and teachers.

Amidst these challenges, the chairperson Kamaadi Nyombi Mukiibi urged local residents to take ownership of their schools, advocating for community involvement in maintenance efforts rather than solely relying on government intervention.

"These schools belong to us," he emphasized, urging collective responsibility for ensuring conducive learning environments.

Kamaad said they receive little funds for school maintenance.

He emphasized that the budget they give the district for schools can only maintain only two classrooms every year yet we now have more than 50 schools in kalungu which are in a sorry state.

Kamaad said, Kalungu needs 40 years to build two classrooms in each government school.

Kamaadi said this is the time parents come out and engage in brick laying.

“If 40 parents spend the whole day here at Kisittula and lay bricks at the end of the day they can be with bricks that can build four classrooms and stop thinking that these schools are for the government yet they tell us that governments are people.”

According to statistics, government schools which are in a sorry state make 78% out of 100.