Lake Victoria Primary School in Entebbe, Uganda, has recently faced allegations from the area’s Member of Parliament (MP), Michael Kakembo, regarding the conversion of school classrooms into a goat and chicken shelter for personal profit. The school’s headteacher, Mr. Stephen Nabende, has denied these claims.
In response to MP Kakembo’s allegations that the school was being used for personal projects, Mr. Nabende clarified that the condemned building used for this purpose had been deemed unfit for educational use by Entebbe Municipal Council. He explained that the classroom block had not hosted any lessons for several years.
Mr. Nabende disclosed that in 2017, the school’s teachers had submitted a project proposal to Entebbe Municipal Council. In response, they received two hybrid piglets, goats, and chickens to generate additional income for the school. The staff made the decision to house these animals in the condemned building, which is now used primarily for educational purposes and sheltering free-range chickens and goats.
Mr. Nabende emphasized that the proceeds from this project benefited the entire school community, disputing MP Kakembo’s claims that only a few top managers and the headteacher profited from it. He also mentioned that he had raised Shs72 million out of the required Shs500 million to renovate the deteriorating school structures.
MP Kakembo criticized Mr. Nabende for not using government capitation grants to repair the school’s dilapidated buildings. He expressed disappointment in the school’s current condition, which he described as being in shambles.
Gracious Mugabi, an alumnus of Lake Victoria Primary School, echoed MP Kakembo’s sentiments, stating that the school’s leadership had not done enough to improve both the academic quality and the infrastructure of the institution.
Lake Victoria Primary School has a history dating back to 1924 when it was established with two sections: an upper section for the children of colonialists and a lower section for the children of senior civil servants. Following the departure of colonialists, the school remained under government control and restricted its enrollment to the children of civil servants. However, the introduction of the Universal Primary Education (UPE) scheme in 1997 expanded the school’s accessibility, and it now serves predominantly impoverished families.
