By Weswa Ronnie
NAMISINDWA
Pupils of two schools in Namisindwa district are stranded with nowhere to study from after a heavy downpour with a storm demolished their classrooms on Sunday night, 15th October, 2023.
The affected schools are Kisawi government aided primary school located at Bumoni Sub County and Sabino government aided primary school located at Bukiabi Sub County.
According to Jackson Wakwaika, the Namisindwa district LCV chairperson, rains which pounded the district on Saturday night also destroyed crops, houses of people in the sub counties of Bubutu, Bukiabi, Bumwoni, and Bubutu town council.
‘’The total of over 300 residents at different sub counties are now taking refuge with their relatives as they wait for support from the government after their house roofs were blown off and others brought down,’’ Mr. Wakwaika said.
The District Disaster Management Committee headed by the Chief Administrative Officer however has no budget to support these families which were affected.
Mr. Wakwaika said ‘’ I urged the affected schools authorities and LCIII chairpersons from the respective affected areas to compile a report of affected households and properties which should be given to the district disaster management team to be forwarded to the Office of the Prime Minister for response.’’
Michael Khaukha, the LCIII chairperson of Bumwoni, the most affected sub county said that they expect hunger in future since crops like maize, bananas, soya beans among others were destroyed by the heavy rains.
‘’ Government should fund district disaster management committees across the country so that they can manage to handle such minor disasters at district level rather than writing to the ministry of disaster preparedness,’’ Mr. Khaukha said.
Shedrak Khaukha, the head of Kisawayi primary school said that his school has a population of 1067 pupils and that it is now hard to use only two blocks which remained at the school.
Mr. Khahuka said most of the desks which can be used by pupils at the school were also broken after bricks and stones falling on the them.
All the remaining blocks have also cracked, putting them in fear that they may collapse anytime following these continuous rains in the area.
He says he has written to the district through the district education officer to allow them close the school temporarily such that they can look for ways of replacing the destroyed structures before reopening.
Yowani Lugwani, the LCII chairperson of Kisawayi parish, Bumwoni Sub County also doubling as chairperson management committee of Kisawayi primary school urged government and stakeholders to come in and support the school with construction materials such as bricks, iron sheets among others to replace the affected classrooms.
Sam Situma, a parent from Sabino aided primary school located at Bukiabi Sub County says that they fear that the performance of the primary leaving examination this year might be poor at their school since primary seven candidates are not studying currently due to the collapse of their classrooms.
John Musila, the area Member of Parliament representing Bubulo east constituency expressed his sadness with the disaster urging parents to be calm as he is going to reach the prime minister’s office such that the affected schools can get tarpaulins where pupils can study from as the government looks for ways of replacing destroyed classrooms.
‘’I urged people in my constituency to plant trees at their homes and at schools such that such heavy storms cannot destroy classrooms, their homes and crops because they act as wind breakers,’’ Honourable Musila said.
