By Naboth Isaac Niwagaba
apearlnews.com
The Rubanda District Budget for Education in the next financial year is focused on the procurement of desks, construction of latrines, and roofing materials for school buildings in the next financial year, the LC.5 Chairperson Ampeire Stephen Kasyaba has revealed.
Mr. Kasyaba was officiating the distribution of desks in Hamurwa Subcounty, for schools whose enrollment overwhelmed the available seats following the full re-opening of the education sector, in January 2022.
In Rubanda District, Hamurwa became the second sub-county after Muko, to procure desks as one of the measures put in place to deal with the high enrollment numbers, particularly where pupils opted to repeat classes even after Government declared automatic promotion following the COVID -19 lockdown that led to the closure of schools for almost two years.
Subcounty authorities resolved to buy desks with part of the funds from the Discretionary Development Equalization Grant – DDEG provided through the Ministry of Local Government as support for management of COVID-19.
Mr. Kasyaba explained that the District Council was aware of the challenge of inadequate seats in schools, and they had allocated around 40 million on buying school desks alone in the next financial year.
Kasyaba also revealed that the rest of the money out of the 500 million budget for education in the next financial year, would be spent on the construction of latrines, and the roofing of buildings constructed at schools with support from parents and foundation bodies.
The Female District Councilor for Hamurwa Subcounty, Mary Bebwajuba Gorreti applauded the decision by Muko and Hamurwa Subcounty authorities to use the COVID Funding for support to the struggling schools. Bebwajuba said that some sub-counties had misused the money.
Chairman Tumwesigye Stanislas Nyarare used the platform to caution teachers against absenteeism. Mr. Tumwesigye accused teachers of inactivity and spending more time in markets doing business, at the expense of pupils under their care.
Meanwhile, the Hamurwa Subcounty Chief, Jared Muhwezi revealed that they had used 20 million to procure 133 three-seater desks, for distribution to 19 primary schools in the area. He said the decision was made by the Subcounty Council after finding out that pupils were sitting on the ground while studying, due to lack of enough seats. He gave an example of Kakore Primary School
