Storm Destroys Nkuzongere Primary School, Halting Learning in Nakaseke

What the report says

Learning has been suspended at Nkuzongere Government Primary School in Semuto Sub-county, Nakaseke District, after a heavy rainstorm damaged several classroom blocks, according to Nile Post. The report says roofs were torn off, other structures were badly affected, and hundreds of pupils were left without safe rooms for lessons.

School headteacher Mary Nambi said the buildings are unsafe and may collapse, making it impossible to continue normal classes. She also linked the damage to the school’s long-term infrastructure problems, saying the school is more than 60 years old and has faced repeated appeals for renovation or rebuilding. She added that the school already had limited staffing and sanitation challenges, including only five teachers and a collapsed latrine.

Nambi said holding lessons outdoors was not a workable alternative because rains have continued. Residents and local leaders said the damage is too severe for the community to fix alone and called for urgent government support. Nkuzongere Village Chairperson Yoweri Muwanga urged authorities and well-wishers to help restore the school so pupils can return to class safely.

The case highlights broader concerns about ageing school infrastructure and disaster vulnerability in rural areas, where storms can quickly disrupt education when buildings are already in poor condition.