ONC Commends Transparency, Calls For Urgent Support To Rural School Following Inspection By Kyalimpa Ausen

A routine inspection of Bundimwendi Primary School in Bundibugyo District has laid bare both the quiet resilience of a rural learning community and the urgent gaps that continue to hinder its full potential.

The assessment, conducted on February 12 by Rwenzori Subregion ONC Coordinator Mr Kyalimpa Ausen on the instructions of Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, sought to evaluate infrastructure, staffing levels and academic performance at the government aided school located in Bundimwendi Parish, Busaru Subcounty.

Tucked within the hilly terrain of Bundibugyo, Bundimwendi Primary School serves 314 learners, comprising 164 boys and 150 girls. The school is staffed by nine government paid teachers and one PTA supported instructor. Despite limited resources, the teaching team has sustained instruction up to Primary Seven, preparing candidates for transition to secondary education.

Headteacher Mr Kamuntu Peterson, a graduate teacher, described the school as determined but constrained. He noted that government support, including classroom construction and salary enhancements for arts teachers under the leadership of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has strengthened morale. “We are grateful for the progress made so far,” he said, adding that prudent management of the UGX 3,745,964 received in the third quarter of 2025 has enabled the school to maintain essential operations.

Members of the school finance committee, chaired by Mr Byaruhanga Moses, affirmed that funds are handled with transparency. Madam Basemera Aida, who serves as both teacher and committee treasurer, emphasized accountability in expenditure, while Senior Woman Teacher Madam Bitsange Wilder pointed to a strong sense of unity among parents, teachers and learners as a pillar of stability.

Yet behind the optimism lies a catalogue of structural challenges. The school’s sanitation facilities are overstretched, with insufficient latrines to match growing enrolment. The absence of dedicated sanitary facilities for girls remains a pressing concern, particularly in efforts to retain female learners through upper primary. Classrooms are overcrowded, limiting effective teacher learner interaction and affecting concentration.

Equally troubling is the lack of staff quarters. Teachers commute long distances along roads that become nearly impassable during the rainy season, a factor that occasionally disrupts attendance and the academic calendar. “When roads are cut off, learning suffers,” one teacher observed, underscoring the direct link between infrastructure and performance.

Academic delivery is further hampered by a shortage of textbooks and instructional materials. While the school operates a feeding programme managed by the Parents Teachers Association, its effectiveness fluctuates depending on contributions and available resources. Educators argue that a more structured and better funded model would significantly improve pupil concentration and outcomes.

The inspection report recommends construction of additional classrooms and latrines, establishment of staff quarters to boost teacher retention, supply of adequate learning materials and strengthened support for the feeding programme. It also calls for dedicated sanitary facilities for girls to safeguard their health and dignity.

For many families in Bundimwendi Parish, the school represents more than a place of instruction. It is a pathway to opportunity in a region where access to quality education can redefine futures. As stakeholders await further intervention, the findings serve as both a progress report and a reminder that sustained investment in rural schools remains central to inclusive national development.