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Ntoroko, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | There is a low turn up of learners and teachers in three schools in Kanara sub county, Ntoroko district.
Despite the fact that schools resumed last week after two years of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, over 1,600 learners from Umoja Kachwankumu and Rwangara primary schools had never resumed their studies after floods from Lake Albert submerged classroom blocks and latrines, leaving the blocks collapsed whereas others developed cracks.
On Sunday, UNICEF delivered 10 tents to enable learners from P1 up to P7 to resume learning. Despite each school receiving four tents, the schools recorded a low turn up of learners on Monday.
Paul Ninsiima, the Headteacher Rwangara Primary School says that he was expecting more than three hundred learners who had been mobilized and registered to resume learning, but only 100 reported. He says that some places where the learners live are still cut off by water.
Benson Atujune, the headteacher Umoja Primary School says that he was forced to teach seven classes after the eight teachers failed to turn up. Atujune says before floods submerged their school, the school had an enrolment of 721 pupils, but only 123 pupils had turned up.
William Kasoro, the Ntoroko LCV Chairperson called for a quick response from the ministry of education and the office of the prime minister to establish a permanent solution for the affected schools and communities, by purchasing them landing safer places so that people start a new life.
Kasoro says that authorities from the education department and leaders have been tasked to mobilize parents to ensure that learners resume studying.
The floods also affected more than 56 Kilometers of the road network connecting various communities and displaced over 11,000 people. According to district officials, they need at least 8 Billion Shillings to relocate the victims.
In October, the district officials asked Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja to degazette at least 8 square miles of Tooro Semuliki game reserve land to host communities displaced by floods.
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