The ministry of Education and Sports has suspended operations at Namisindwa Senior Secondary School over allegations of poor sanitation and the illegal collection of fees from students.
The decision was reached on Wednesday following an inspection of the government-aided school by the minister for Local Government, Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi.
During the inspection, the minister allegedly found that the school, which has an enrolment of more than 600 students, had no functional toilet facilities despite receiving government funding.
According to Barugahara, the school receives approximately Shs 44 million in government capitation grants every term. However, he said learners were studying in an environment with inadequate sanitation facilities, raising concerns about their health, safety and welfare.
Barugahara said he immediately consulted the acting minister of Education and Sports, Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo, and the state minister for Regional Affairs, Simon Mulongo.
The ministers resolved to temporarily close the school until Monday to allow the administration to address the sanitation crisis.
The government directed the school management to urgently empty, rehabilitate and restore the existing pit latrines to a safe and usable condition before learners return.
The inspection also allegedly established that the school had been charging each student Shs 65,000 in fees, contrary to government policy on free education under the Universal Secondary Education (USE) programme and presidential directives prohibiting unauthorised charges in government-funded schools.
Barugahara directed the headteacher and other officials responsible for the school’s management to report to the relevant investigative agencies to explain the alleged misuse of public funds and the collection of unauthorised fees.
“We were deeply concerned to discover that the school has no functional toilet facilities despite receiving government funding. The welfare and safety of learners must always come first,” Barugahara said.
He warned that the government would not tolerate actions that compromise the welfare of learners or undermine public education policies.
“Any individual found abusing public resources or disregarding government policy will be held accountable in accordance with the law,” he added.
Namisindwa District LCV chairperson Emma Bwayo welcomed the ministry’s intervention, saying the district leadership had also been concerned about the school’s sanitation standards and management practices.
He said the temporary closure should provide an opportunity for the administration to address the challenges and restore public confidence in the institution.
Bwayo urged school managers to prioritise the welfare of learners and ensure strict compliance with government education policies.
“The closure is unfortunate, but the health and safety of our children cannot be compromised. We support efforts to improve sanitation standards and ensure that all government resources meant for learners are properly utilized,” Bwayo said.
The temporary closure is expected to give the school administration time to rectify the sanitation challenges as investigations into the institution’s financial management continue.
The government says it remains committed to ensuring safe learning environments and strengthening accountability in the management of public education institutions across the country.
