By Sophan Niwamanya
apearlnews.com
Bwama primary school in Kitumba sub county Kabale district is lacking boats to transport pupils crossing the lake which has hampered education systems.
Bwama Primary School is a school in Western Uganda. Bwama Primary School is situated nearby to Bwama Landing Site, and close to Bwama Landing Site.
Located at Bwama island, the Church of Uganda government-aided primary school has no provision for a boarding section for pupils. The school started in 1944 and was aided by the Government in 1969.
Now, the staff at the school told our reporter that since schools were reopened they have registered a number of 396 pupils with only two dugout canoes which are in bad condition and one motor boat which was donated by Uganda revenue authority last year.
Epaphrus Besigensi, the school deputy Headteacher, noted that pupils report at school at 8:30am due to lack of boats that should ease transport. He says pupils delay due to lack of enough transport means across the lake.
He adds that for all pupils to report at school it takes three shifts each shift taking 30 pupils. He says this has resulted in poor performance and delayed completion of syllabus since they have to cover what was not covered during covd-19 lockdown.
Besigensi says that they have failed to have morning preps for upper classes because pupils reach at school late due to lack of transport means. he says primary seven pupils have also failed to learn during weekends
Besigensi is in fear how primary seven pupils will perform since they no longer attend classes in time and have failed to raise funds for fuel to ferry pupils crossing the lake during weekends.
He also decried the lack of life jackets among the pupils, the jackets they have are old and few.
He called upon the Government to provide enough boats and life jackets to ensure children’s safety while they navigate the lake and better transport means.
Benon Kajuna, director at the Ministry of works and Transport, told the pupils that despite the hardships encountered in daily life they have persisted and the future will be great.
He said that the ministry of works and transport is considering two ferries and two ferries from Uganda National Roads Authority which will ease transport at the lake.
Fred Byamukama, the minister of state in charge of transport said education is a basic need that should never have encumbrances such as children risking their lives, crossing water bodies in order to learn.
Byamukama was speaking on Thursday at Bwama primary school on his tour as he inspected projects under the ministry of works and transport.
He said for the hardships pupils are passing through, he will present these issues in the ministry as an emergency and put it in the budget to ensure that at least two engine boats are secured for Bwama primary school.
He warned pupils to desist from using old boats while crossing the lake which he described as unsecure.
Four girls narrowly escaped death in 2017 when their boat capsized on their way to school. The pupils are believed to have escaped drowning since they were wearing life jackets.ear;
