First Lady asks government to provide more funding to schools in hard to reach areas

The First Lady and Minister for Education and Sports Janet Kataaha Museveni has asked government to provide funding to avail critical amenities like electricity and water in schools built in hard to reach areas.

The remarks were contained in a speech presented for her by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa while commissioning Mayanga Progressive Seed School in Mitooma district on Friday.

Museveni commended the World Bank for implementing various interventions including establishment of seed secondary schools in the country.

The schools are constructed under the Inter-Governmental Fiscal Transfers Program that commenced in the financial year 2018/2019.

A total of 259 schools are to be constructed in sub-counties without seed secondary schools.

"This is evidence more than ever that access to universal secondary education remains high on the agenda of the government. A good education foundation gives our young population the knowledge, skills and self-confidence necessary for economic development of our country," said Museveni

Tayebwa appreciated efforts by the Ministry of Education to extend education services to hard to reach areas across the country, through the establishment of seed schools.

He, however, poked holes in the execution of the building project citing irregularities with the classroom blocks, staff quarters, administration block, science laboratories and ICT laboratory.

He observed that the contractor – Khalisa Investments Ltd, constructed a school in Kigarama on the same budget as that of Mayanga which is better done than the latter, and tasked them to repair the defects in question.

"I engaged the IGG's office to come and study the work the contractor did at this school and they have told me a team will come here within a week to investigate. I will return in three months to monitor the progress," said Tayebwa.