Namisindwa District –
The Minister for Local Government, Hon. Barugahara Balaam Ateenyi, on an inspection visit to Namisindwa Secondary School, uncovered serious concerns over illegal school charges and poor sanitation, leading to the temporary closure of the government-aided institution.
The minister was accompanied by fellow cabinet ministers, area Members of Parliament, district leaders, and officials from the Ministry of Local Government during the fact-finding visit aimed at assessing the school’s operations and the welfare of its students.
While addressing students, teachers, and the school administration during an assembly, Hon. Balaam revealed that investigations had established that the school had been charging every student UGX 65,000, despite being a government school where education is intended to be provided free of charge under the government’s policy.
According to the minister, both the head teacher and the deputy head teacher admitted before the school assembly that the collection of the money was illegal. He immediately directed the school administration to stop collecting the fees and instructed parents and students not to make any further payments until the matter is fully resolved.
“Government schools are not supposed to charge learners any school fees. No student should continue paying this money until the issue has been addressed,” Hon. Balaam said.
During his inspection, the minister also expressed disappointment over the appalling sanitary conditions at the school. He found that the school’s pit latrines were completely full, posing a serious health risk to both students and staff. The lack of functional sanitation facilities meant students had no proper place to relieve themselves, creating an unacceptable learning environment.
Describing the situation as a public health concern, Hon. Balaam ordered the immediate closure of the school to allow urgent corrective measures to be undertaken.
He directed the head teacher to ensure that all the latrines are emptied and made usable by Sunday, so that students can safely return to school on Monday. The exercise, he said, will be supervised by the area LC Chairperson to ensure full compliance with the directive.
The minister also inspected the school’s main hall, which has reportedly remained in a poor state of repair for nearly 10 years. He questioned how the institution had continued collecting UGX 65,000 from students over the years without investing the funds in improving critical infrastructure.
Hon. Balaam instructed the school administration to immediately utilize the money previously collected to cement and renovate the main hall, emphasizing that school resources should be used transparently to improve learning conditions.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting learners from illegal charges and ensuring that government schools provide a safe, healthy, and conducive environment for education. He warned school administrators against violating government policies and called for greater accountability in the management of public schools.
