Kamuli district authorities have today Sunday been forced to temporarily close Bupadhengo Primary School in Nawanyango sub-county, Buzaaya county, over what they termed ‘sustained fire outbursts’.
The closure is expected to last for two weeks, to facilitate thorough investigations into the genesis of fire outbreaks at the school, two times in just a week.
Officials who effected the closure were led by Kamuli District Education Officer (DEO) Kanakulya Ibrahim, Chief Administrative Officer ( CAO) Peter Elesu and the police.
To that effect, they instructed parents to temporarily withdraw their children immediately from the school.
Addressing an emergency meeting that took place at the school premises today morning ,Mr Elesu said the state of affairs entailing two fire outbreaks two times in a row, within just a week under mysterious circumstances has caused unforetold tension and mistrust among different stakeholders.
He cited this as one of the reasons that inspired authorities to take a bold decision of closing down the school.
“This school will be under a lot of security serveillance effective today and onwards, and finally after this meeting, between now and 6:00 PM, we don’t expect any child in the school compound,” said Mr Elesu.
He added that the intention of discharging pupils from the school temporarily, is to enable them heal from the trauma caused by loss of their property to the fires, allow for proper arrangements like rehabilitation of school stractures burnt down by the flames, and clean up operations.
Speaking at the same meeting, Martin Mugabi, the Member of Parliament for Buzaaya county in which the said school is located, expressed shock over mysterious fire outbreaks at various schools in the area.
He said that sustained fire outbursts have destroyed several schools in Buzaaya county, and vowed to take the matter to parliament in not a too distant future, for redress.
“It is a school with a big capacity of pupils, and good performance standards. The origin of these fires cant just be limited to short circuits. There is more to this. And therefore we need a police report on a short notice, such that we see how to help these pupils and their parents,” said Mr. Mugabi.
He also instilled a ray of hope among stakeholders, by revealing that he has already taken serious steps to lobby for support, for the affected school from the Ministry of Disaster and Preparedness.
The first incident occured on Wednesday this week, when fire razed down a girls’ domitory at the said school.
Adding salt to wound, it was followed by a similar outbreak of fire on Friday, which completely obliterated a primary one boys’ domitory, leading to loss of books and other useful items for pupils, which were burnt to ashes.
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