NAMISINDWA, Uganda — Minister of Local Government Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi has ordered the temporary closure of Namisindwa Senior Secondary School after discovering that the government-aided institution, which has more than 600 students, has no functional toilet facilities.
The directive followed an inspection by the minister on Thursday, during which he said the school’s sanitation conditions posed a serious risk to the health and safety of learners.
According to Barugahara, the decision was reached in consultation with the Acting Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. JC Muyingo, and Hon. Simon Mulongo.
“Earlier this morning, we inspected Namisindwa Senior Secondary School, which has an enrolment of over 600 students. We were deeply concerned to discover that the school has no functional toilet facilities, despite receiving UGX 44 million in government funding every term,” Barugahara said.
The minister said the school will remain closed until Monday to allow management to urgently restore the sanitation facilities.
“We resolved to temporarily close the school until Monday to allow the administration to urgently address the sanitation and hygiene concerns, including emptying and restoring the existing toilet facilities to a safe and usable condition,” he said.
School Under Investigation
During the inspection, the minister also alleged that the school had been charging each student UGX 65,000, contrary to the President’s directive on free education under government-funded schools.
He directed the headteacher and other responsible officials to report to investigative authorities to account for the alleged illegal charges and management of public funds.
“We also established that the school has been charging every student UGX 65,000, contrary to the President’s directive on government-funded education. The Headmaster and all other concerned officers have been directed to report to the relevant investigative authorities for appropriate case management and further investigations,” Barugahara said.
Government Warns Against Misuse of Public Funds
The minister noted that the school receives approximately UGX 44 million in government funding every school term and questioned how such a critical sanitation challenge could persist despite the available public resources.
He reaffirmed government’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of learners and ensuring accountability in public institutions.
“The Government of Uganda remains committed to protecting learners and ensuring that public funds are used for their intended purpose. Any individual found abusing public resources or disregarding government policy will be held accountable in accordance with the law,” he said.
The incident has sparked public concern over the state of sanitation in government-aided schools and the management of funds intended to support education.
Education authorities are expected to inspect the school before it is allowed to reopen, while investigations into the alleged illegal charges and possible financial mismanagement continue.