Jinja City has received about five thousand (4,980) iron sheets from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) as part of efforts to eliminate asbestos roofing from public schools. The intervention comes after concerns about health risks associated with aging asbestos structures. The iron sheets will be used to re-roof 35 buildings across 13 institutions, including 10 schools and three health facilities.
The project is expected to improve infrastructure while reducing exposure to asbestos-related hazards among learners, teachers, health workers, and surrounding communities. The beneficiary schools are Kiira College Butiki, MM Wanyange Primary School, Wanyange Girls Secondary School, Jinja Army Primary School, Walukuba East Primary School, Jinja College, Victoria Nile School, PMM Girls Secondary School, Kiira Primary School, and St. James Secondary School.
The health facilities set to benefit include Budondo Staff House and Store, Bugembe Outpatient Department, and Walukuba Health Centre. For school administrators, the donation represents more than an infrastructure upgrade. It is viewed as an investment in the health, safety, and academic success of learners.
Moses Ssemwanga, the head teacher of Kiira College Butiki, described the donation as timely, noting that it will help protect students and staff from the dangers associated with asbestos roofing. He said the removal of asbestos from one of the region’s most prestigious government schools will contribute to a healthier learning environment and ultimately improve educational outcomes.
At Wanyange Girls Secondary School, head teacher Deborah Basekanakyo emphasized the broader impact of asbestos on school life. According to her, asbestos roofs can release harmful dust during dry seasons and contaminate water collected during rains. Such conditions, she argued, restrict students’ access to certain parts of school compounds and undermine efforts to provide an environment that encourages creativity and full participation in learning.
Basekanakyo said the new roofing materials have the potential to transform learning spaces across Jinja City.She said the project could help restore the city’s reputation not only as a center of academic excellence but also as a place where students learn in safe and supportive environments.
Jinja City Education Officer Paul Baliraine noted that many government schools have struggled for years to remove asbestos roofing due to financial constraints. The latest support from OPM, he said, marks a breakthrough in addressing the challenge.
Baliraine explained that the current consignment follows an earlier donation of 900 iron sheets, which were used to re-roof four schools in Jinja City’s central business district. The successful implementation of that phase prompted further assessments, which revealed a need for more than 4,000 additional iron sheets.
Baliraine said inspection teams have been deployed to all beneficiary institutions. Their role is to monitor implementation and guarantee accountability throughout the project. He also urged school heads to manage the resources responsibly, stressing that the ultimate goal is to provide learners with safe, comfortable, and healthy environments free from preventable health risks-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
