By KT Reporter
The absence of a government-aided secondary school in Buliisa Sub-county, Buliisa District is negatively affecting the progress of secondary education in the area. Currently, learners seeking secondary education are forced to trek long distances — between 15 to 20 kilometers — to access Butiaba and Ngwedu Seed Secondary Schools.
This, according to residents and local leaders, has contributed to a high school dropout rate, as many learners give up after completing Primary Seven due to lack of accessible public secondary education.
The residents and leaders are now calling on the government to urgently intervene and construct a public secondary school in the sub-county to safeguard the future of their children.
Muhereza Bajenja, a resident of Kataleba village, says the community has repeatedly asked their leaders to lobby for a seed school, but their pleas have gone unanswered.
Baleke Kasonu, a parent, shares that his daughter dropped out after completing Primary Seven simply because there is no secondary school in the area, and he cannot afford private school fees.
He emphasized that the establishment of a seed school is crucial to ensure access to secondary education for all learners. John Balikenda, a resident of Bugana village, adds that due to the lack of a public secondary school, many school dropouts resort to fishing, which negatively affects their education and prospects.
Margaret Kabiise, also from Bugana, echoed similar concerns, noting that most parents in the area are too poor to afford private secondary school fees, leading to a high dropout rate after Primary Seven.
Kamanda Kabagambe, the LC3 Chairperson for Buliisa Sub-county, says his is the only sub-county in the entire district without a government-aided secondary school — a situation he says has greatly frustrated education efforts in the area.
He noted that the sub-county recently acquired an eight-acre piece of land for the construction of a seed school but lacks the financial capacity to begin construction.
Fred Lukumu, the Buliisa District LC5 Chairperson, confirmed that the sub-county leadership has been lobbying for a seed school and urged residents to remain calm. He revealed that the district is in talks with the government, and efforts are underway to establish a public school in the area.
Lukumu expressed optimism that under the Uganda Inter-Government Fiscal Transfer Programme, a secondary school will be constructed in Buliisa Sub-county in the next financial year.
The Uganda Inter-Government Fiscal Transfer Programme, funded by the World Bank, aims to ensure that every sub-county without a government-aided secondary school receives one — a policy that offers hope to underserved communities like Buliisa Sub-county-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
