Dokolo, Uganda | The Member of Parliament for Dokolo North County, Joseph Jones Ogwal, has donated 95 iron sheets worth over sh5 million to Bata Secondary School to facilitate the roofing of the boys’ dormitory.
Ogwal made the pledge during a visit to the school on Monday, where he assessed the challenges affecting the institution and explored possible interventions.
The legislator noted that the school’s growing enrolment had exerted pressure on the available infrastructure, necessitating urgent support from both government and local leaders.
He observed that the increasing number of learners had overwhelmed the existing facilities and emphasized the need for collective efforts to provide a conducive learning environment for students.
Ogwal also pledged to follow up on President Yoweri Museveni’s 2018 pledge to establish a computer laboratory at the school. He revealed that he had already engaged officials from the Ministry of Energy, who informed him that electricity connectivity in the area would be implemented in phases.
The MP advised the school administration to formally communicate its challenges to the Ministry of Education and Sports and copy his office to enable him effectively advocate for solutions and follow up on the issues raised.
He further announced that Bata Secondary School, Agwata Secondary School, and Iguli Girls Secondary School would be among the first beneficiaries of his education scholarship programme beginning next year.
The deputy headteacher of Bata Secondary School, Odur Levi, welcomed the MP’s visit, describing it as a historic moment for the institution.
Levi, who has served at the school for 13 years, said it was the first time a Member of Parliament had visited the school to directly assess its challenges and engage the administration on possible solutions.
He expressed gratitude for the support towards roofing the boys’ dormitory, noting that the structure had already been completed and only required roofing before it could be occupied by students.
Levi revealed that the school faced a number of challenges, including inadequate classroom space due to increasing enrolment, a shortage of textbooks, lack of a fully equipped laboratory block, insufficient teachers and unreliable electricity supply.
According to him, only 20 teachers are on the government payroll, while 16 others are facilitated by parents. He added that the school currently relies on a generator for electricity despite having boreholes that only require pumping to supply water to key facilities, including the laboratory.
Levi also appealed for support towards completing the unfinished headteacher’s residence and requested the MP’s intervention in following up the President’s computer laboratory pledge.
Bata Town Council district councillor Raphael Okello commended Ogwal for responding swiftly to the school’s needs.
Okello noted that although the MP had numerous development challenges to address across the constituency, his contribution towards the dormitory project demonstrated commitment to improving education standards in the area. He added that the district leadership would continue engaging relevant stakeholders to address some of the other challenges facing the school.
Bata Town Council LCIII chairperson Shaban Ocen also praised the MP for quickly responding to community concerns, including conducting fact-finding visits following recent hailstorm incidents in the area.
Ocen said the school’s shortage of accommodation facilities had become a major concern and commended the MP for intervening by providing iron sheets to facilitate the completion of the boys’ dormitory. He also appealed to parents to support the school by paying fees on time to enable smooth operations.
Bata Secondary School currently has an enrolment of 815 students, including 170 candidates in Senior Four and 67 candidates in Senior Six.
School authorities expressed optimism that the MP’s intervention and continued government support would help address some of the institution’s longstanding infrastructure and learning challenges.
