BY: DOREEN NASASIRA

The Minister of State for Luwero-Rwenzori Triangle, Hon. Alice Kaboyo has commissioned five Seed secondary schools in the Western Region on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Sports.

The five Seed Secondary schools were commissioned in the Districts of Rukiga, Rubanda, Rubirizi, Kiruhura and Buhweju, and constructed under the Inter-Governmental, Fiscal Transfers (UgIFT) programme which is implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sports in partnership with the World Bank.

The UgIFT programme commenced during the Financial Year 2018/19 and includes several interventions such as the construction of seed secondary schools, increase of capitation grants to schools, provision of resources under the wage budget to recruit staff in understaffed districts, construction and equipping of science laboratories in Government Secondary Schools that lack them and strengthening of the inspection function through the roll-out of the Teacher Effectiveness and Learner Achievement (TELA) system across all schools.

Minister of State for Luwero-Rwenzori Triangle, Hon. Kaboyo delivers her remarks after commissioning Nyakashashara Seed Secondary School on behalf of the President in Kiruhura District

According to a statement by the Minister of Education and Sports, which was delivered by the Minister of State for Luwero-Rwenzori Triangle, Hon. Janet Kataha Museveni noted that the plan is to construct a total of 259 schools in Sub-counties without seed secondary schools under the UgIFT programme.

She added that the construction programme of seed secondary schools under UgIFT programme is being handled in three phases namely; the first phase which is covering 117 schools, the second phase which will cover the construction of 115 schools and the third phase which will cover the construction of 27 schools.

The Minister of Education and Sports stated that the government is committed to implementing its policy of ensuring that there is a Government Secondary School in every sub-county to provide quality education services in the country.

“Over the years, we have taken bold steps towards the right direction like revising our policies to promote diversity, skills and provision of comprehensive education to enhance the competitiveness of our children to survive within the ever-changing global environment. Right from the planning stage, our priority as the government is to develop our Human capital and our responsibility as a ministry is to provide quality education,” the Minister stated.

She highlighted that the ministry will undertake a mapping exercise to establish the gap in the administrative units which do not have a Government Secondary School per sub-country due to resource constraints that have hindered the UgIFT programme from covering them and make appropriate plans to cater for them.

The Minister also called upon the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to prioritise the provision of critical amenities such as electricity and water to some seed schools under construction especially those located in hard to reach areas.

The Minister also asked the school administrators of the newly commissioned schools to ensure that the facilities are maintained and functional to enable them to serve their intended purpose. She urged the students to use the facilities to excel and fulfil their potential as they advance in their academic journey.

Minister of State for Luwero-Rwenzori Triangle, Hon. Kaboyo Alice in a group photo with the staff of Ryeru Seed Secondary School in Rubirizi District after the commissioning ceremony

The structures of Nyakashashara Seed Secondary School which was commissioned by Hon. Alice Kaboyo on behalf of the President in Kiruhura District

The Minister called upon the district leadership in areas where the schools were commissioned and the school management to enforce the COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures as issued by the Ministry of Health and ensure that all the teaching and non-teaching staff are vaccinated before accessing the school premises.

Other government ministries involved in the implementation of the UgIFT programme include; the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the Ministry of Health, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Ministry of Water and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Industry, the Ministry of Public Service, the District Local Government and the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority.

All the commissioning events were attended by the District leaders, teaching staff and students among others. End.