Dilapidated building collapses

MASINDI- It all wails and tears at Arise and Prosper Nursery and Primary School in Kyangamwoyo Village, Kijunjubwa, Sub-County Masindi district following the unpleasant scenes that led to the death of their Primary three teacher.

The female teacher, whose identities are still concealed, died after the classroom wall collapsed on her together with the learners on Wednesday July 31, 2024 at around 4 p.m. during a heavy downpour in the area.

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Mr. Bwohe Mansure, the Kijunjubwa Sub County Chairperson told the media that a teacher whose names were yet to be revealed died at Kitara Medical Centre Kijunjubwa, where they had rushed her for treatment.

Mr. Bwohe disclosed that four learners were also injured during the calamity and are currently getting treatment.

The politician attributed the incident to heavy downpours and weak classroom structures. Bwohe emphasizes the importance of constructing permanent and safe structures to prevent such incidents in the future.

When contacted, Moses Nayebale, the school director, said he was still in the hospital and wasn’t ready to comment on the matter.

“I’m still in the hospital; I cannot give a comment at the moment,” he added.

Julius Allan Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police Spokesperson, confirmed the incident and said learners were rushed to Masindi Hospital, where they are getting treatment. Hakiza, however, said he has yet to get the particulars of the deceased and the injured learners.

“It’s true a teacher has died after the classroom wall collapsed on them, and the learners were rushed to Masindi Hospital, where they are getting treatment; however, I’m yet to get their particulars” Hakiza said.

In March of this year, Masindi Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr. Emmy Ngabirano, ordered the closure of God’s Mercy Nursery and Primary School.

The school located in Miduuma village, Kijunjubwa, Sub-County, Buruuli Constituency, was illegally operating and had poor sanitation.

The poor state of the school was discovered by the RDC during his routine monitoring and supervision of government programs in the sub county.

Ngabirano said that though the sub-county authorities had advised the school proprietor to stop at nursery level, he disregarded their advice and instead proceeded up to primary seven.

The RDC explained that the unlicensed school had a boarding section; the boys’ and girls’ dormitories were close to each other, it lacked a matron and patron, and the learners were sleeping on the floor.

He added that the school was also operating in dilapidated structures and lacked security guards.

Ngabirano further added that the learners and teachers were also sharing the same latrine, which was also in a sorry state, noting that, as a government, they could not allow the school to continue operating in such a sorry state.

He advised other private school proprietors in the district to improve the hygiene of their schools and construct better structures that don’t endanger their learners’ lives.