Maumbe Mukhwana Memorial Vocational Institute, built just two years ago at a cost of Shs3.6 billion, was intended to be a model of technical excellence. The institution, named after liberation hero Jack Maumbe Mukhwana, is one of President Museveni’s nine pledges of vocational institutes.
Today, it is a sign of neglect with no tutors, electricity, water, fence separating the girls’ dormitories from those of the boys, and pit-latrines that overflow forcing students to relieve themselves in the bush. Last week, frustration over the poor state of the school boiled over.
Students locked the principal, Mr James Ulyeni, inside his office for more than five hours, demanding his immediate transfer. Police and district education officials later intervened and convinced the students to let go. They then took him away.
Guild president Bernard Mooli said the students have gone on strike three times since last year, each time demanding the transfer of the principal. Mr Mooli revealed that the school has so many problems, which they have reported to the district authorities, but nothing has been done. He said since reporting back three weeks earlier, students had not had a single lesson.
‘This is supposed to be a skills institute, yet we don’t have practicals. When we go for internship, we struggle,’ he said. Mr Deo Obote, a student, said: ‘We don’t have qualified teachers to teach us. The toilets are full, so sometimes we go to the bush. Some girls are already suffering from infections. Even meals are delayed.’
Mr Moses Mugabi, a student, said the overflowing toilets, lack of water, and a broken solar system have left the school without electricity or safe sanitation facilities.
He revealed that government-sponsored students pay Shs450,000 per term, while private students pay Shs760,000. Ms Glades Nambozo, another student, said: ‘Last term, I was admitted to the hospital for a week after getting an infection. Many other girls are suffering too.’
Mr Haningtone Bakumba, the senior education officer for Mbale District, said the government was supposed to deploy 15 tutors when the institute was set up. Instead, only the principal and the bursar are permanent staff. He added that the school relies on volunteer instructors who have now gone eight months without pay.
Mr Daniel Kitakuyi, an entrepreneurship tutor, said they have lost the morale to teach. He added that several tutors have refused to report to school this term because of the non-payment. Even the security guard, Mr Mutwalimb Zemwa, has gone 18 months without his Shs90,000 monthly salary.
‘I work day and night, alone, without even a torch. My life is at risk,’ he said. Mr Bakumba added the school’s performance is poor, blaming it on weak administration. He explained that some tutors are often dismissed in the middle of the term, while equipment meant for practical lessons has gone missing. He also revealed that the school is deeply in debt, with suppliers demanding more than Shs160 million. Mr Paddy Khaukha, the Mbale District Education Officer, acknowledged that the students’ grievances are genuine.
He partly blamed the challenges on the principal but also admitted that the district authorities had failed to provide facilities that support proper learning.
‘Where we have reached, to save the institution, the Ministry of Education and Sports should send another principal. Let the current principal be transferred to another place,’ he said.
He added: ‘This is the third time the police have rescued the principal. We don’t want to reach a situation where we have to answer why the principal has been lynched by students. The truce between the principal and students will not last.’
He said the ministry should post permanent tutors to support the school, and urged the government to speed up the process of recruiting them. He noted that the institution is a presidential pledge that should be fulfilled, not mismanaged.
Mr Ulyeni said he is ready to be transferred if the ministry decides so. He denied the allegations against him, arguing that the problems at the school are due to limited government funding, with only Shs55 million sent for the entire financial year. He also blamed the situation on students delaying to pay their fees.
Mr Ulyeni explained that the Shs55 million from government and student fees is what he uses to run the school, but it is not enough to pay tutors, clear supplier debts, or buy materials for practical lessons, which are expensive. He noted that presidential-pledge institutions are not funded the same way as government-aided schools.
He added that he had written to the Ministry of Education about the challenges but nothing had been done. On the issue of pit-latrines, he blamed the problem on heavy rains and the waterlogged nature of the area, which causes the water levels to rise.