The construction of the Bukedea Technical Institute has encountered significant delays, leaving the institution in a state of uncertainty. The project, initiated in 2014 with financial support from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has faced challenges and hurdles that have impeded its progress.
As of now, the institute accommodates 264 students, but the structures remain incomplete, and the workshops lack the necessary equipment for effective technical education. The school is also grappling with the absence of essential utilities, such as water and power, which have adversely affected the learning environment.
Samuel Kaddu Mukasa, the Principal of Bukedea Technical Institute, highlights the failure to complete the project’s first phase, which encompassed the construction of dormitories, an administration block, and a workshop. Mukasa has made several appeals to the Ministry of Education and Sports regarding this issue, yet no substantial response has been received.
Bukedea District Education Officer, Stephen Okurut, reveals that the school was allocated five billion shillings for construction. However, his office cannot account for the funds, as the supervision and all construction-related activities were managed by the Ministry of Education and Sports at a higher administrative level.
Mary Akol, the Bukedea LCV Chairperson, characterizes the school as a “white elephant” within the district, underlining the pervasive lack of information regarding the project’s completion timeline. This long-standing uncertainty has persisted, raising concerns among the local community.
In 2016, the then Bukedea LCV Chairperson, Moses Olemukan, criticized the Ministry of Education for enrolling students in the unfinished structures despite assurances of the school’s completion by October 2016.
Bukedea Technical Institute stands as the sole government-aided institution providing technical education in the district, with Bukedea Comprehensive School offering a combination of formal and technical education.
Loy Muhwezi, the Commissioner responsible for Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET), asserts that her office possesses no information concerning the construction progress. She underscores the decentralized nature of technical education, with the Principal serving as the accounting officer. The school operates under the direct supervision and monitoring of the district, where the education department plays a pivotal role in managing the situation.
