Tereyet high altitude SS faces eviction

Kapchorwa, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Teryet High Altitude Secondary School in Tereyet Sub County in Kapchorwa district is facing eviction from the land earmarked to host Tereyet High Altitude National Sports training center.

The government aided school with three classes operating in temporary structures was established by the community in 2015. It is the only secondary school in the green belt of Kapchorwa serving the entire upper belt area.

Students have to trek for over 15 kilometers to get to the nearest privately owned Elgon Emirates Secondary School. Teryet High Altitude Secondary School is currently hosted by a primary school, which is part of Teryet High Altitude National Sports Training Centre project. 

Alfred Tunde Musau, the Kapchorwa District Sports Administrator, says the secondary school wasn’t part of the project. He says it currently occupies space meant the swimming pool and hostels among other facilities. He says the district and well-wishers have launched a fundraising drive to secure over Shillings 100 Million needed to procure 5 acres of land for the school.

Justine Yapsoyekwo, the head teacher Teryet High Altitude Secondary School, says they currently have nowhere to go once evicted from their current location. She says the Education and Sports Ministry has already promised to construction for the school classroom blocks once they secure land.   

Stephen Twalla, the Chairman Board of Governors Teryet High Altitude Secondary School has welcomed the fundraising drive to save the school from extinction.

Kapchorwa District Education Officer, Mike Cheptoek, says the school has helped to reduce on the employment gap in the district as many people are employed by the school. He appeals to all stake holders to put a lot of efforts in saving the institution.

Some parents interviewed by URN, say the school had saved their children from walking long distances to access secondary education.  Moses Siya, a parent at the school says the school had saved their children from dropping out of school as a result of trekking long distances.

He pledged to contribute Shillings 100, 000 towards the purchase of land.  Sam Cheptoris Mangusho, the water and Environment Minister who also doubles as Kapchorwa Municipality Member of Parliament pledged to contribute Shillings 6 million towards the fundraising drive, saying there is need to save the community school for the good of the residents.

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