The Rotary Club of Garuga and Bwebajja, donated a six classrooms block which is estimated to cost over shs500m. The construction of the school block was commissioned by Ismael Mulindwa, the director for basic and secondary education in the ministry of education and sports who represented John Chrysestom Muyingo, the minister of state for higher education.
The three storied building is expected to take eleven months period before completion. The construction was commissioned during a function which was held on Monday evening at Kitala secondary campus in Katabi town council, Wakiso district.
Lauding the noble gesture, Joseph Luswata, the school headteacher pointed out the challenges faced by learners and the teachers since the idea of a community school was grasped in 2008. Whereas the six classrooms will go a long way in solving the challenge of inadequate learning space, several students still study under classrooms built with papyrus reeds.
“Since this is my sector as the commissioner, am going to be at the front line of making a case for the development of this great school,” Mulindwa pledged.
In his speech, minister Muyingo remarked that the government identified education as an important factor towards sustainable development and improvement in social mobility and means for Ugandans to achieve their aspirations.
“The government has about 4,000 secondary schools with an estimated enrollment of two million and Kitala secondary school is part of this number,” he highlighted.
Muyingo also noted that despite all the efforts that the government has done, there are also more gaps in the provision and delivery of education services, and therefore appreciates every effort it attracts from different partners like Rotarians.
Francisco Ssemwanga the Rotary Governor said that education is one of the key focus areas in their social initiatives. |We are therefore, delighted and filled with pride to have made this project happen for the development of the school,” he expressed.
“We firmly believe that every child deserves access to education and a safe environment to study and through this project, we are not only improving the lives of the students but also creating a safe and nurturing learning environment, paving the way for a better tomorrow,” Ssemwanga remarked.
The Wakiso district chairperson, Matia Lwanga Bwanika appealed to the government especially the Ministry of Education for the equitable distribution of resources depending on the population and revenues being levied from the community.
“We have many policies that are not friendly to the environment. Ofcourse we say each sub-county must have a seed school which is okay, but look at a sub-county in Bukedea with not more than 6000 people to have one secondary school, same as Katabi town council with over 700,000 people. That is unfair, “ he noted.
Ronald Kalema, the Katabi town council boss lauded the former local government leadership which conceptualised the idea to establish Kitala secondary school. He stated the gradual achievements that school continues to attain and expressed optimism for greater achievements.
Joseph Luswata, the school headteacher promised to put to good use, all the funds and donations made towards the proper management of Kitala secondary school. Reminiscing the times when other students were asked to remain home while their colleagues were writing national exams due to limited space and classrooms, Luswata noted that such a policy no longer applies as more land has been purchased and classrooms constructed.
He appealed for more funding, promising to push the learning institution to a national competitive stage both in academics and infrastructure.
At inception, the school had three classroom blocks, one laboratory block, and one administration block that were constructed by the Katabi town council.