Transportation Challenges Fuel Absenteeism & Dropouts to Lake Bunyonyi Schools

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By Obed Kankiriho

KABALE – Authorities at Bwama Primary School and Lake Bunyonyi Secondary School in Kabale District, have brought to light a concerning issue – the lack of adequate transportation means, which has been contributing to increased absenteeism and school dropouts among the learners.

Isaac Kamukama, the acting Deputy Head teacher of Lake Bunyonyi Secondary School, has disclosed that the insufficient transportation options have resulted in the unfortunate dropout of five students out of the 85 initially enrolled in Senior One.

He further emphasized that the problem of tardiness among the students has also escalated due to the lack of proper transport. The secondary school has a total enrollment of 270 learners.

At Bwama Primary School, Patience Tweheyo, the Head teacher, shared that despite receiving a motor boat donation from URA (Uganda Revenue Authority), the school has been struggling to procure fuel for transporting the learners.

Alongside their efforts to encourage parents to prioritize their children’s education, the school has been grappling with an ongoing issue of dropout cases, which has inevitably impacted overall academic performance. The primary school’s student body comprises 405 learners.

Addressing this critical matter, the Kabale District Education Officer, Moses Bwengye Tumwijukye, acknowledged the gravity of the situation. He noted that this transportation challenge has resulted in five learners missing school on a daily basis.

He further explained that due to resource constraints, the district is unable to provide fuel to individual schools, as all educational institutions within the district are treated equitably.