We are keen to boost education, House told

by Sylivester Domasa & Bernad Lugongo

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THE government has allocated more funds for public schools in the forthcoming financial year (2018/19), in a bid to improve academic performance.

The Deputy Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Governments - TAMISEMI), Mr Josephat Kakunda, told the National Assembly here yesterday that part of the funds would be spent on the construction of science laboratories, dormitories, administration blocks and teachers’ residential houses.
“We are intending to increase funding to boost the education sector and to be able to respond to problems facing the society,” the deputy minister said. Mr Kakunda was responding to a basic question posed by Nkasi South MP, Deusderius Mipata, who had sought the government’s clarification on whether it was considering to inject more funds into education sector structures built by communities beset by infrastructure challenges.
“Wananchi in Nkandasi volunteered to build a ward secondary school, but unfortunately, the government halted the project and its relocation on January 1, 2017. Three people spent their time and resources and were now compelled to redo the work,” he lamented. Demanding to know the contribution of the education ministry in the relocation process as well as refunding the community by constructing an identical school.
Responding, Mr Kakunda explained that the relocation of the school was prompted by the National Service demand to reclaim its land the site in Milundikwa village. The Ministry shifted the school to Kasu A.
“Close cooperation amongst stakeholders had resulted in the construction of 13 classrooms, a toilet, laboratory and dormitory for accommodating 461 students, 92 of whom are in Form Five,” he said.
The minister said that during the 2018/19 financial year, the government would release 230m/- upon getting Parliament’s approval. He informed the House that Nkasi District Council raised 49m/- last year and the central government chipped in 259m/- to support infrastructure enhancement projects.