As the second school term begins, authorities in Bulambuli District have indefinitely closed Masugu Primary School in Buluganya Sub-county following the landslides that hit the district last week.  

The landslides left five people dead, and scores injured also caused extensive damage to classrooms and other vital structures at Masugu Primary School, leading to its indefinite closure.

Some of the other damaged structure at the school includes staff quarters and toilets.

Stanley Bayole, the Bulambuli Resident District Commissioner (RDC), who inspected Masugu Primary School after the landslides to assess the damage, ordered the indefinite closure of the school. He implored parents to consider moving their children to nearby schools as a temporary alternative.

The RDC explained that the current state of the school, where classrooms, toilets, and other sanitary facilities have been buried, poses health risks for the pupils and so the district authorities decided to temporarily close the school.

Angella Nandudu, the head teacher of Masugu Primary School, stated that not only were all learning materials buried under the debris, but also the funds allocated for school activities that had been kept in the bursar’s office

The headteacher explained that the school had received two million shillings as a grant for implementing the Universal Primary Education program, but the money was washed away by the floods after the bursar’s office was submerged.

Parents have appealed to the government to urgently intervene and have their children resume school as soon as possible since the alternative schools are far away.

During the burial of some of those who perished in the landslides, Esther Anyakun, the State Minister of Relief and Disaster Preparedness in the Office of the Prime Minister said the government will consider relocating the school to a safer area.

The Bulambuli District Woman MP Irene Nafuna Muloni, said the disaster has had a negative impact on the educational prospects of the region and emphasized the need for immediate measures to support the affected learners.

The temporary closure of the school affected the start of the new term for the pupils who should have reported on 29th May 2023.

 AYUB