Government is set to undertake a major rehabilitation of ageing school infrastructure across the country, with Iganga Secondary School among the beneficiaries under a new funding initiative supported by the World Bank and the Global Partnership on Education (GPE II).
The project, valued at over Shs800 billion, will see the renovation and expansion of 131 traditional and special needs schools as part of efforts to restore them to centres of academic excellence.
According to the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Secondary Schools at the Ministry of Education and Sports, Alfred Kyaka, the initiative will cover 121 traditional secondary schools and 10 special needs schools across the country.
“Under the World Bank and Global Partnership on Education (GPE II) initiative, 121 secondary schools are to be rehabilitated and expanded, alongside an additional 10 special schools, where Iganga Secondary School is also among the beneficiaries,” Kyaka said.
He explained that the project targets traditional schools that have experienced infrastructural decline over time, with the aim of revitalising them and improving the learning environment.
Several schools in the Busoga sub-region have been earmarked for the facelift, including Bukoyo Secondary School, Wanyange Girls’ School, Kiira College Butiki, MM College Wairaka, Busoga College Mwiri, Jinja College, and Jinja Secondary School, among others.
Kyaka said the project was approved in December last year and is currently at the needs assessment stage. He noted that engineers will soon be deployed to selected schools to assess infrastructure gaps and determine the scope of work ahead of procurement.
“We are currently undertaking needs assessments, and in about one or two weeks, engineers will be on the ground to ascertain the specific needs of each school and quantify them in preparation for tendering,” he added.
He made the remarks while officiating as chief guest at a thanksgiving ceremony held at Iganga Secondary School, where the institution recognised its best-performing students in the 2025 UCE and UACE examinations.
During the same event, the Headteacher of Iganga Secondary School, Monic Nakaziba, appealed to government to urgently support the refurbishment of the school’s deteriorating infrastructure.
She noted that many buildings, particularly rooftops, are in a dilapidated state and leak during rainy seasons.
“Most of our rooftops are worn out and leak during rainy seasons. We have tried to carry out repairs using locally available resources, but some structures need comprehensive renovation,” she said.
Despite the challenges, the school recorded strong academic performance in 2025, with its best A-Level candidate scoring 20 points.
Education stakeholders have welcomed the rehabilitation programme, saying it will improve learning conditions, boost morale among students and teachers, and enhance academic outcomes in beneficiary schools.