Buyiga secondary frustrated by inadequate classrooms, poor enrolment

Kammengo, Uganda| AFP |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Parents and local leaders on Buyiga Island in Kammengo Sub County in Mpigi district have pleaded with government to construct more classrooms for Buyiga Secondary School so as to attract more students.

Buyiga Secondary School is the only school on the island that is home to over 10,000 people. The school boasts of 22 teachers on the government pay roll and a total enrollment of 72 students from S1 to S4.

However, the school operates in a single classroom block.  The poor enrollment at the school is puzzling local and district leaders given the fact that the neighboring Primary School, which is believed to feed the Secondary School, has more than 520 pupils.

The School head teacher, Steven Rogers Kizza attributes the poor enrollment on inadequate classrooms, staff quarters and science laboratory, which have frustrated their efforts to get a Uganda National Examinations Board-UNEB center.

Kizza reveals that after completing S 2, most students look for alternative schools with better buildings and UNEB Center because S3 and S4 students attend lessons in makeshift classes built by parents near the only two classroom block constructed by government.

Both classes were subdivided to create space for the head teacher’s office and staffroom. Started by the community under the Catholic Church foundation, the school was taken over by the Ministry of Education and Sports in 2013.

Gaston Katabaazi, the Buyiga Sub Parish Priest and member of the School Management Committee accuses Mpigi district local government of diverting huge sums of money disbursed by government to construct classes at the school.

The Mpigi Chief Administrative Officer, Moses Kanyarutookye declined to comment about the school, saying he is new in office. However, the District LC V Chairperson, Peter Claver Mutuluza, says government allocated Shillings 2 billion to upgrade Buyiga Secondary School into a Seed Secondary School in 2019.

The money was expected to finance the construction of additional classroom blocks, staff quarters, science laboratories, modern library and dormitories. He however, says government diverted the money to Wamatovu Secondary School upon learning about the poor enrolment at the school. 

Asuman Balikoowa, the Buyiga Parish LC 2 Chairperson says that whereas the lack of classrooms and teachers’ quarters are to blame for the poor enrollment, teachers are also to blame for fair to attract students because of poor performance.

He equally blames parents and local leaders for protecting defilers who lure underage girls into marriage as part of the problem affecting enrollment.

Robert Ssentongo, a parent says since the school started eight years ago, the best grade it has ever celebrated is division 2 despite the fact that it has more teachers than some of the good performing schools on the mainland. 

Similarly, James Salongo Kayondo, a trader at Buyiga Island says Buyiga SS would be far much better if government responded to their pleas like it does to political activities. 

Some residents claim that majority of would be students on the island are not interested in education.

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