UGANDA, Bukedea | Real Muloodi News | In a remarkable display of resilience, educators from Acomai Primary School in Kamutur Sub-county, Bukedea District, have embarked on constructing their own houses during the extended holiday, facing a 26-year-long struggle for government assistance.
Acomai Primary School stands out as an underprivileged government-aided institution in the district, grappling with inadequate infrastructure.
The sole classroom block is dilapidated and on the verge of collapse, with no teachers’ houses, staff rooms, or offices. Pupils from Primary One to Primary Six study in an incomplete building lacking partitions.
The teachers left without accommodation for nearly three decades, have resorted to building their own homes as a means of escaping the escalating rental costs in distant trading centres.
Mr. Robert Oluga, a teacher at the school for nine years, expressed the difficulties they face, emphasizing that increased rents have prompted this unconventional solution.
Despite the government’s promises to address the dire conditions at the school, no tangible improvements have materialized.
Mr Oluga revealed that teachers have resorted to using clone eucalyptus trees as construction materials, planting them and using the poles to build houses.
However, the limited supply of these trees has forced some teachers to seek additional materials from the school forest.
Mr Martine Olupot, another teacher engaged in house construction, highlighted the daily 11-kilometer trek he endures to reach the school.
He lamented the challenges faced by teachers, asserting that the hardships often go unnoticed by higher authorities.
Acknowledging the plight of Acomai Primary School, Mr Stephen Okurut, the Bukedea District education officer, outlined plans to enhance the school’s infrastructure.
However, he cited financial constraints as a significant impediment to executing the proposed improvements.
The innovative approach taken by teachers to construct mud and wattle houses using strong poles was reportedly introduced by the school head teacher.
As the educators of Acomai Primary School take matters into their own hands, their story reflects the resourcefulness and determination within the teaching profession, shedding light on the persistent challenges faced by underprivileged schools in accessing essential support from government initiatives.
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