BY ALEX BALUKU
KASESE: Kenyange Muslim Primary School in Karusandara Sub-county, Kasese district is currently operating with 05 learners and 11 teachers, Messiah Radio has learnt.
Despite the demand for teachers at many schools across the district, the teachers at the said institution of learning report on duty at will since many of them stay in Kasese town according to the Deputy Head teacher, Mr. Faishal Muhindo who was found on duty with one teacher, Mr. Jimmy Byaruhanga.
Kenyange Primary School has seven classes ranging from Primary One to Primary Seven but since the year began, the classes have reduced to three whereby in Primary One, there are only two pupils and another two in Primary two and only one in Primary Three.
When our reporter visited the school, he found out all the five pupils in one classroom and wondered whether they were studying the same content and how.
The Deputy teacher openly told our reporter that despite the teachers’ absenteeism at the institution; they have continued to get government money in terms of monthly salaries.
Asked why the school is operating with only five learners, Mr. Muhindo attributed the problem to the alleged misunderstandings between the PTA Executive and a section of members on the Management Committee.
He, however, noted that the number of learners could have drastically reduced following the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown as well as the floods that hit the area forcing the pupils to shift to other schools.
Asked whether there is any intervention towards revamping the enrolment at the institution, the Deputy Head teacher revealed that they recently elected a new Chairperson for the PTA as directed by the District Education Department and they have laid strategies of remobilizing parents to bring back their children to the institution.
Before proceeding to Kenyange Primary School, our reporter had visited Kibati Primary School in the Scheme Ward of Nyamwamba Division in Kasese Municipality and found the institution closed with neither the teachers nor the learners present.
When contacted on phone about the fate of the institution, Hon. Herbert Bwambale, the Kasese Municipal Secretary for Social Services told our reporter that as Council, they are planning to have the institution relocated to another area where they would find people to seek educational services from such a government grant aided institution.
Mr. Elias Byamungu, the Kasese District Chief Administrative Officer, told our reporter on phone that he also recently learnt about the Kenyange Muslim Primary School incident during his familiarization tour in Karusandara Sub-county.
According to him, a report about the incident would be submitted to the Ministry of Education and Sports to determine the next course of action.
