The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kabaale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The absence of a government-aided secondary school in Kabaale Sub-County, Hoima District, is severely undermining access to education and driving up school dropout rates, local leaders and residents have warned.
Carved out of Buseruka Sub-County in 2019, Kabaale remains without a single public secondary school, forcing learners to walk 20 to 25 kilometres to reach either Buseruka or Kizirafumbi Seed Secondary Schools—the nearest government institutions.
Parents say the long distances, compounded by poverty and the high cost of private education, have discouraged many children from pursuing studies beyond primary seven. Joseph India, a resident of Kabaale Trading Centre, says the situation is putting the future of many children at risk:
Robert Gingyera, from Mbegu Landing Site, notes that many school dropouts have turned to fishing at an early age, calling for urgent government intervention to establish a seed school in the sub-county.
Fred Kabwino, a resident of Nzorobi Village, adds that due to widespread poverty, many parents are forced to keep their children at home after primary school, unable to afford fees for private secondary education.
Hassan Kugonza, the LCIII Chairperson for Kabaale Sub-County, says the education gap is alarming. He reveals that while the sub-county has secured a 6-acre plot of land for the construction of a government school, they currently lack the funding to proceed:
Godfrey Byaruhanga, the Kabaale LCV Councilor, says efforts are underway to engage the government under the Uganda Inter-Government Fiscal Transfer Programme (UgIFT), funded by the World Bank. The programme is designed to ensure every sub-county without a public secondary school receives one. “We remain hopeful,” Byaruhanga said, “that the government will prioritize our area and construct a seed school to safeguard the future of our children.”
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