YUMBE GOV’T SCHOOL FACES CLOSURE DUE TO POOR CONDITIONS

By Robert Elema

Yumbe

A section of the leaders and residents in Lamgba Primary School in Yumbe district are considering closing the school because of its sorry state.
 
They say, the learning centre lacks proper sanitary facilities, the number of the classrooms are inadequate, shortage of teachers and the children drink water from unprotected sources among other challenges.
 
According to Mr. Samuel Enata the deputy head teacher of Lamgba primary school, the school faces a lot of challenges as such they plan of closing it.
 
He said, one major problem at the school is the issue of Pit latrines and that they had a five stance Pit latrine being shared by the girls, boys and the teachers in the school but as of now, it's out of use due to its poor conditions.
 
"Our school receives UPE capitation Grant of about Shs 2million which can't address the issue of constructing Pit latrines because it takes a lot of money and committing all the funds for constructing such facilities will cripple the activities of different departments in the school", he said.
 
He said, the school also lacks clean water source and they drink water from unprotected sources with the animals and cases of water borne diseases are common in the school.
 
Ms. Night Rose Driciru the Senior Woman teacher says, due to the inadequate facilities, she has found it hard to help the girls during the time of menstruation.
 
"There is no shelter and change rooms for the girls and there is completely no privacy for the girls in the school and the bad situation is, when the girls are on menstruation, they take bath in the bush and hide in the bush for some time to allow their clothes they had washed to dry which exposes them to snake attacks," she said.
 
She added that, many grown up girls have dropped out of school due such challenges.

 
Pupils of Lamgba primary school fetch water the valley.
 
Kalidi Vuni, a P.5 pupil says, due to the inadequate number of classrooms, they are learning under trees. "It is risky to learn under the trees because they may easily be struck by lightning as the school lacks lightning arrestors and the rain can even damage their property including disruption of the lessons.”
 
Meanwhile Bashir Vuni, another P.3 pupil says, because of the bad condition of the Pit latrine, it forces them to both go and ease themselves at home or in the bush. 
 
According to the LC 3 chairperson of Arilo sub county Mr. Swadick Swaib, it's not good for the school to operate without a pit latrine and as per the state of the school, it needs to be closed adding that the sub county has no funds to construct new structures in the school.
 
He said, inspection and assessment was not done by the district health department but they have as a sub county taken that decision to close the school and that a letter was written and taken to the education office about the matter.
 
Mr. Rasul Drajiga the assistant Chief Administrative Officer said they are aware about the condition of Lamgba Primary School.  He revealed that, the social services committee last week sat and this matter came and already the department of education is considering to handle that matter within a short period of time.
 
"There has been a serious oversight related to reporting challenge. The stakeholders kept on lamenting within their armpits and they didn't report this matter to the authority for action, so parents closing the school is not necessary and we are working towards getting a solution and therefore, we pray that the parents bear with us in a short while," he said.
 
"The closure of the school is not the right of the local people, we have gotten government institutions that can make an assessment of any nature and make declarations to either close such institutions or not. This can't come from the community members but their concerns have been picked so, nobody should take the law in their hands and start doing unruly things", he added.

 
A teacher teaches P.5 class under the tree at Lamgba Primary School.
 
He said all the challenges in the school have come to their attention and they are already consulting with partners and that they have gotten partners who help them with the issue of water saying consultations are moving on to see whether they can develop one water source  in that place so that the children don't suffer.
 
Lamgba Primary School which has a population of 301 learners is located in Arilo Sub County at Yumbe-Koboko border. It was established as a private school in 1998 and later government took it over in 2004. It has only four classrooms with one office space.

COVER PHOTO: The teachers of the school check on the condition of the dilapidated pit latrine at Lamgba primary school. By Robert Elema