Learning at Chibumba Primary School in Buyora Village, South Ward, Chahafi Town Council, Bufumbira East Constituency in Kisoro District, has once again been disrupted after a heavy downpour submerged the school in water.
According to the head teacher, Francis Nizeyimana, the rains that started on Thursday morning flooded all classrooms, from the nursery section to Primary Seven as well as the school offices. This forced the administration to send nursery pupils back home to reduce the risk of drowning and exposure to waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and diarrhea.
Nizeyimana has appealed to the Ministry of Education and Sports to find a lasting solution, including relocating the school or constructing raised structures to safeguard learners.
CUE IN……..NIZEYIMANA ON FLOODS RR/ENG…..//
Meanwhile, pupils told our reporter that they are currently studying in only one classroom block recently constructed by the UPDF Engineering Brigade. They noted that accessing sanitation facilities has become difficult, as toilets are also flooded.
CUE IN…….PUPILS NARRATING VOXPOP RR…//
The floods have not only affected the school but also the wider community. More than 800 gardens growing crops such as beans and Irish potatoes in villages including Koga, Butooke, Mukaka, and Mpundu have been destroyed. Some residents have started relocating after their homes were inundated.
Residents are now appealing to the government for emergency relief food, as their crops have been wiped out. They also raised concern over poor road conditions, noting that key routes such as Kabaya–Chibumba road and Sereri–Butooke–Cyananke road have become impassable, complicating access to health facilities.
The area Member of Parliament, Dr. James Nsababuturo, attributed the increasing flooding to poor farming practices. He also advised residents to adopt improved farming methods and called on agricultural extension workers to intensify sensitization efforts to curb soil erosion. He urged parents to accompany their children to school to help prevent accidents such as drowning.
