Floods submerge school, force learners back home

At least 450 young learners in Kalungu District have been forced out of class after their school was submerged by floods.

Kamuwungu Primary School has been compelled to shut down due to severe flooding, leaving parents, learners, and teachers in distress. *

Located in Lwera just one-and-a-half kilometres from the Kampala-Masaka highway, the school has faced a myriad of challenges stemming from the inundation of its premises.

Ms Scholastica Apiding, the head teacher, highlighted the perilous conditions, including waterborne diseases, reptiles posing threats to children's safety, and structural damages to teachers' residences.

"The water has covered the entire school, posing serious health risks to our pupils from pollution-related diseases. Additionally, the presence of reptiles in the flooded area further endangers the lives of children and teachers."

Despite hosting 42 pupils preparing for the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), the closure leaves their education hanging in uncertainty, amplifying concerns among parents and residents.

Blame has been cast on sand miners in the Lwera area, accused of obstructing water flow channels.

"We blame the situation on sand miners in the Lwera who are blocking drainage ditches, exacerbating the flooding," residents said.

While district leaders acknowledge the dire situation, limited government funds earmarked for education exacerbate the school's neglect.

“When the Ministry of Education is allocating resources, most of the money they give to districts is for paying teachers," Nyombi Mukiibi Kamaadi, the Kalungu District chairperson, said.

"When it comes for securing desks, when it comes to digging pit-latrines, constructing new classrooms and renovating those that are in a sorry state, we get less than Shs200 million in a financial year and you can hardly use that money to work on on all the schools."

Kamaadi said Kalungu has more than six schools with dysfunction pit-latrines.

Francis Katabaazi, the area member of parliament, has pledged concerted efforts to address the crisis, recognising Kamuwunga Primary School as the sole educational facility in the vicinity.

"We urge all responsible ministries to step forward and address this urgent issue, as Kamuwungu Primary School is the only educational facility in the area," he said.

As the community awaits decisive action from government authorities, the closure underscores the urgent need for intervention to safeguard the educational prospects of affected children and restore normalcy to Kamuwunga Primary School.