Ntungamo Schools Count Losses as Storms Expose Ageing Roofs

What the report says

Schools in Ntungamo District are assessing damage after heavy rains and strong winds tore off roofs, broke into classrooms and destroyed computers in parts of Kajara County. The Nile Post reports that the storms have renewed concern about learner safety and the condition of older school buildings, especially in government-aided institutions with ageing timber and worn roofing materials.

At Kisharuro Model Primary School in Nyamunuka Town Council, a school founded in the 1950s and serving 308 pupils, the Primary Three room — which also doubles as the library — lost part of its roof, while the Primary Seven classroom was also damaged. Deputy head teacher John Rutahaba said the block’s timber is badly worn, and the school has only made temporary fixes to keep lessons going. Parish priest Rev. Fr. Bruno Tumwesigye said more permanent support is still needed.

Other schools in the district were affected as well. Kagamba Secondary School lost roofing from a block containing a classroom, office, staffroom and computer laboratory, with records and learning materials damaged. At St Paul’s Vocational School in Kagarama, storms destroyed an administration block that housed more than 20 computers and other school property. The report says these incidents add to damage reported since last year, including at Kamunyiga Primary School.

The broader issue, according to the article, is the vulnerability of school infrastructure in Ntungamo’s hilly, wind-prone environment. Local leaders have suggested tree planting as a windbreak measure, but the immediate concern remains repairs and replacement of weakened roofs to protect learners and staff.