By KT Reporter
Longoleyek Community Primary School in Lorengedwat Sub-county, Nabilatuk District, is set to receive new facilities worth UGX 218.5 million.
The school was founded in 2019 by community members under the name “Rise and Shine” to provide education access for vulnerable children. It currently runs pre-primary, Primary One, and Primary Three classes.
For years, more than 400 pupils have studied under difficult conditions, relying on only two grass-thatched structures and the shade of trees.
The situation at Longoleyek Primary School drew public attention in 2023 after Uganda Radio Network published a story highlighting the poor state of its infrastructure. This prompted an intervention by UNICEF, which provided a tent to accommodate learners who had been studying outdoors.
The Nabilatuk District Local Government has now stepped in to further support the school with permanent facilities. These include two classroom blocks, a three-stance latrine, and three units of staff houses. Construction works were officially launched on December 19, 2025, at the school premises and are expected to be completed within three months.
Contracts for the works have been awarded to different companies. Carosa and Family Technologies Limited will construct the three-stance latrine at a cost of UGX 22.7 million. Joloks Fast General Supplies Limited has been contracted to build the two classroom blocks at UGX 87.6 million, while Galaxy General Supplies and Construction Limited will construct the three-unit teachers’ staff houses, valued at UGX 108.2 million.
James Ichumar, the Chairperson of the School Management Committee and founder of the school, expressed gratitude to the district authorities, describing the new facilities as a major milestone in promoting education in the area.
Ichumar said the school has struggled for years, especially during the rainy and dry seasons, due to the lack of proper classroom structures.
He explained that during the rainy season, learners have nowhere to shelter, while during the dry season, strong winds and dust disrupt learning.
Ichumar noted that these challenges sometimes discouraged pupils from attending school, although teachers and management continued encouraging them to stay.
He added that many pupils are eager to learn but cannot walk over 40 kilometres daily to attend the nearest alternative school.
Ichumar said the school has endured these hardships while hoping for improvement, adding that despite the progress, more support is still needed since it is a community school and parents lack the capacity to fully support its operations.
He pledged to personally monitor the construction works to ensure quality and safeguard building materials.
Meanwhile, Gabriella Modo, the Nabilatuk District Environment Officer, urged contractors and the community to plant trees to replace those that may be cut during construction.
Modo also directed contractors to establish proper drainage channels to manage water run-off and designate an area for garbage management at the site.
She warned that she would not sign off on the commissioning of the project if tree planting is not undertaken.
Modo emphasized that trees should be planted early so that by the time construction is complete and contractors leave the site, the trees can survive independently.
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