Aaron Kalenzi, the Parents Teacher’s Association-PTA chairperson, says that the pupils deserve a conducive learning environment. He says that with the makeshift structures, children might lose interest in education.
Parents with pupils at Kaitandovu primary school in Buyengo
sub-county in Jinja district have staged a peaceful demonstration over the delayed renovation of the two classroom blocks at the school. Heavy rains blew off the roof of the affected classroom blocks in April
last year.
However, the classroom blocks have never
been renovated despite the resumption of studies on Monday last week following
the prolonged shut down of schools as part of the COVID-19 containment
measures. The affected classroom blocks host the early
child development unit, lower and middle primary pupils. The learners are currently studying
under trees as they await the
renovation exercise to kick off.
The failure by the concerned authorities
to renovate the classroom blocks has not gone down well with parents. They also claim that the school
lacks a wall fence, which can allow
learners to run to the surrounding sugarcane plantations to make quick cash without being noticed by the
teachers.
A school administrator who spoke to URN
on condition of anonymity says that prior to the lockdown, the
school had 1500 pupils with about 1200 of them in lower and mid classes. He, however, says that given the
current state of the school
structures characterized by cracks, most parents are skeptical about
returning their children to the
school.
Aaron Kalenzi, the Parents Teacher’s Association-PTA chairperson,
says that the pupils deserve a conducive learning environment. He says that with the makeshift structures, children might lose
interest in education.
//cue in: “tulina obuzibu…
Cue out…mumiti,”.
Moses Walusa, a father of three pupils at the
school says that due to delayed reroofing of the affected classroom blocks, the
floors and foundations of structures were further damaged by rains in October last year.
//Cue in:
“tulina okweinamila…
Cue out…kwila okusoma,”//
James Kalena, a father of two pupils in primary one and three
respectively, says that the desks too were destroyed following exposure to
harsh weather conditions forcing the learners to study on bare ground under the
trees. Kalena says that with the current rainy season, their children risk
missing out on lessons since they cannot be safe under trees.
//Cue in: “tulikudaga…
Cue out…awo’kusomela,”//
Eria Kisambira,
the Jinja District Inspector of Schools, says the Ministry of Education and
Sports conducted an audit to ascertain the extent of damage at the
school, and efforts of conducting repairs are underway.
