Lwalera government-aided primary school in Bungokho sub-county, Mbale district, has been temporarily closed after severe storms caused extensive damage to the school premises.
The destruction occurred on Wednesday afternoon when heavy rains hit while pupils were attending their classes. Within moments, the school’s roof was torn off, forcing teachers and learners to flee for their safety, leaving behind their books and school bags.
One of the learners, Ronnie Kalemba, sustained minor injuries while trying to escape the collapsing roof. He also mentioned that all their books and pens were lost in the rain. Isaac Mukamba, a teacher at the school, reported that all classrooms lost their roofs, leading to the decision to send all pupils back home.
The Headmistress, Robina Wazamba, identified the most affected classrooms as those for P4 to P7. With approximately 729 pupils attending the school, only the P7 and P6 students are currently able to continue their studies, while the rest have been sent home.
She appealed to the government and stakeholders for support to rebuild the damaged classrooms. Lydia Musungu, the Mbale District Education Officer (DEO), confirmed the incident and expressed concern that since the rains started last month, three schools have been damaged but not repaired due to a lack of funding.
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