Uganda: Mukono Authorities Close Two Private Schools Over Poor Sanitation, Safety Concerns
Education authorities in Mukono District have closed two private schools following an inspection aimed at assessing the learning and living conditions of pupils at the start of the new school term.
The operation was led by the Mukono District Inspector of Schools, Isaac Gasujja, together with officers from the Uganda Police Force.
The team conducted inspections in several private schools in Nakisunga Sub-county to ensure that institutions comply with required education standards.
During their first visit to Viema Junior School, inspectors were alarmed by the conditions in which pupils were living.
Some children were reportedly sleeping on the floor using dirty blankets, while classrooms lacked desks and other basic learning facilities.
Authorities also discovered that some classes were being handled by teachers who did not possess the required qualifications.
Inspectors further found pupils struggling to prevent rainwater from entering their dormitories, while some windows had been temporarily covered with papyrus.
Several pupils told inspectors that the living conditions at the school were difficult and worrying.
The school’s headteacher, who declined to be identified, said the institution had only recently opened and asked that the closure not be publicised.
However, authorities ordered the school to shut down until it meets the required standards.
Gasujja addressed the pupils and advised them to return home, explaining that the school would remain closed until the necessary improvements are made.
The inspection team later visited Excel Kindergarten and Primary School in Namayuba, which was also closed due to poor sanitation and overcrowding.
Authorities said the school lacked adequate toilet facilities, forcing pupils to practise open defecation in nearby bushes.
According to Gasujja, this was not the first time the schools had been warned or closed by authorities, noting that they had previously failed to comply with directives issued by education officials.
Following the closures, some parents expressed concern and appealed to Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda, to support them in accessing affordable schools for their children.
One of the school administrators, Lilian Nassali, criticised the abrupt decision to close the school, arguing that inspectors should have provided guidance on what needed to be improved before ordering the closure. She also questioned how parents who had already paid school fees would be affected.
However, the Community Development Officer for Nakisunga Sub-county, Esteriko Kyegombe, defended the decision, saying authorities cannot allow schools operating under poor sanitary and unsafe conditions to continue.
He urged school owners to comply with the required standards before reopening their institutions.
By Nile Post.
