Schools in Amuru to reopen without functional water sources

Amuru, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Five primary schools in Amuru district are set to reopen next week without functional boreholes.

The schools include Labala Primary School in Pabbo sub county, Lacor and Agwayugi Primary Schools in Lamogi sub county, Elegu Primary School in Elegu township, and Ober Abic Primary School.

The boreholes were damaged by members of the community who have been using them during the nearly two years of closure of all learning institutions due to the coronavirus disease.

A technical assessment conducted by the district’s engineering and education departments indicates that the boreholes require major repairs.

Apollo Okello, the Amuru District Secretary for Education says that the education department has now written to the water officer and finance departments seeking funding and expedited repairs of the broken boreholes before the schools reopen.

He expressed worries noting that the schools will face challenges in ensuring that they have clean water for handwashing and other uses as required by the health ministry’s guidelines to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease since the nearest water sources are more than 2 kilometers away from each school.

Alex William Latim, the Agwayugi Primary School Headteacher disclosed that the school is battling a financial crisis to repair the borehole and other damaged classrooms because they have also not received the capitation grant for maintaining the school during the closure periods.

At Labala Primary School in Lamogi sub county, Santos Onesmus Olok, the Andara village chairperson where the school is located said that members of the community were using the school’s borehole prompting it to break down due to the uncontrolled usage.

Joyce Lanyero, the Amuru District Education Officer said that many schools which lacked perimeter fences and security guards were trespassed on by members of the neighboring communities which led to damages of properties including desks, classroom blocks, lightning arresters, and boreholes among others.

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