Once a shining beacon of academic excellence and sporting might in Eastern Uganda, Bukedi College Kachonga was the dream destination for thousands of learners from across the country.
At its peak, the government-aided institution boasted over 2,000 students, standing tall in both numbers and performance.
“To enter BCK, you could have gone anywhere , you could have gone to Budo or Mwiri but when you were here, you were subjected to standard teaching,” recalls Sam Weyre Hibinga, the Chairperson of the Board of Governors.
Today, the once-vibrant school is a shadow of its former self. Student enrollment has plummeted to just 445, and only 25 teachers remain on the government payroll.
More than half of its once-bustling structures now lie silent, condemned, and dilapidated.
“What you see here are abandoned dormitories. But when student numbers dropped, these buildings remained unused,” says Yekosophat Outa, the school headteacher.
The decline, insiders say, began with frequent strikes that drove parents away. Others point to years of mismanagement and leadership wrangles as the cause of the collapse.
“The school was characterized by strikes almost every year. This made students lose focus on education and instead focus on striking. So, parents decided to withdraw their children,” Outa explains.
Infrastructure challenges compounded the crisis.
“The water system collapsed, and the school went without water for a very long time. Students had to fetch water from outside. They would study only until midday, then stop classes to go look for water. This derailed the school equally,” notes Hibinga.
In a bid to revive the institution, administrators introduced a day section, raising enrollment from 160 to the current 445. However, financial hardships among parents remain a hurdle.
“Most parents are struggling. Today is the 7th, and with less than two weeks left to end the term, many have not yet cleared school fees. When we call them, they say their rice is not yet ready,” says Outa.
School leaders are now appealing to the Ministry of Education, local government, parents, and old students to step in. Their hope is not only to save the remaining structures but also to revive the school’s lost glory.
From glory to ruins — and perhaps, back to glory — the question remains: will Bukedi College Kachonga rise again?