The famous Kigezi College Butobere in Kabale district, one of the oldest schools in Uganda is at the verge of collapse as its struggling to operate following a sharp drop in students enrollment.
The school was negatively affected by Covid-19 lockdown period as toilets and electrical systems were vandalized among other structures.
The 60 year old school better known as ‘Siniya’ was set up by the colonial government to offer secular education to bright Bakiga boys in preparation for the country’s independence but its however nowadays its a shell pf its former self with a low student population studying in dilapidated buildings and with poor national examination performance.
Reports indicate that Kigezi college Butobere school’s enrollment this term is not appetizing with the school registering now 100 students where 7 students are in Senior One.
Reports further indicate that even the few that were admitted are quitting the school because of endless bullying that has made some students sleep out of the school dormitories for quite good days since school’s reopened for studies.
Kenneth Katonda, the school head teacher says that despite government’s commitment to support the rehabilitation of the school, the administration is yet to receive the money.
He said that all four school flashing toilets within dormitories have been closed because they were vandalized during the lockdown as of now the school currently uses two pit latrines outside the dormitories whose doors were also vandalized.
He also says that the school also needs to fix the electrical connections in all school structures which he said is still hampered by lack of sufficient funds saying that efforts to secure part of the Ugx 5 billion from the Kabale municipal account to meet emergency needs at the school has hit the deadend due to lack of a letter of no objection from the ministry of finance to access the fund despite the assessments made on the school.
“We have challenges as we have had some resignations of staff. WAe are trying to reassemble our staff,”said Katonda.
Last year, government passed and disbursed Ugx 1.19 billion to the Kabale municipal council account to help in the renovation of the school.
Emmanuel Sentaro Byamugisha the Kabale municipal mayor says that at the end of last year, a team from the ministry of Education and sports visited the school and made the structural assessments ahead of the commencement of rehabilitation works.
In 2016 The old boys under the Siniya Old boys Forum led by Moses Ntahobari, set up scholarships that include tuition fees to the tune of Ugx 400,000 for a total of 40 students in O’level and A’level. This they say was aimed at attracting more students to the school and upping academic excellence.
The school that was once a pearl in the academics in the region had been run down and as a result shunned by the community due to numerous strikes and maladministration.
It has produced prominent men in the country like John Patrick Amama Mbabazi Former Prime Minister , Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde , Prof Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile Governor of the Bank of Uganda, Prof George Mondo Kagonyera Chancellor of Kabale University, Rt. Rev. George Bagamuhunda – Bishop of Diocese of Kigezi , Justice Patrick Tabaro, Justice John Bosco Katutsi, Justice Joseph Murangira, Henry Musasizi the Rubanda East MP and State Minister of Finance (General Duties)
Others include: Dr Shaka Ssali Veteran Journalist and Former Host of Straight Talk Africa on Voice of America, Rt. Rev. Nathan Rusengo Byamukama the Bishop of Cyangugu Disocese in the Republic of Rwanda, Moses Turyomurugyendo Ntahobari – Director, Audit and Advisory Services at Shore Partners CPA now Current Chairman Board Of Governors.
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