In Namutumba District’s Nsongwe Primary School, Primary Seven candidates are set to experience a significant change as they prepare to take this year’s Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), scheduled to begin next week. These students will have the opportunity to sit at desks during the examinations, a luxury they have not enjoyed during the earlier terms of their primary education.
Nsongwe Primary School, located in Bugobi Town Council, has a student population exceeding 600 pupils. Surprisingly, the school possesses only 17 desks, making them a scarce resource. As a result, students, including those in Primary Seven, have been accustomed to sitting on the floor for the majority of their primary education.
The unique arrangement at Nsongwe Primary School reserves the limited desks for Primary Seven candidates during the third term, specifically for the PLE exams. This arrangement is necessitated by the insufficient number of desks available for all students throughout the academic year.
To address this scarcity, the school enrolls private candidates from nearby private schools who use the school’s facilities as a PLE examination center. These private candidates bring their desks and, after the national exam, leave with them.
In preparation for the forthcoming PLE exams, candidates have been practicing sitting and writing at desks for the past three weeks. The school aims to ensure that the desks remain in good condition for the examination days, preventing any breakage.
The school has divided the 67 candidates into five groups, each consisting of 13 pupils. Each group has been allocated three desks for practice to ensure they become comfortable with this new experience.
While the transition seems to be progressing well, some students have reported experiencing back pain and difficulties with writing due to their previous familiarity with sitting on the floor.
Susan Nairumba, a PLE candidate, describes their classroom experience as challenging when seated on the floor. She mentions that teachers encouraged them to reach Primary Seven as it offered the chance to sit at desks.
Waiswa Mulondo, another candidate, acknowledges the challenge of adapting to desks but expresses satisfaction with the comfort they provide for writing.
Kassim Mutegule, the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) chairperson, highlights the challenges faced by Nsongwe Primary School, including a shortage of office chairs for teachers and inadequate classrooms. Primary Seven candidates study in a store, while Primary Four pupils use the church as their classroom.
Yakubu Mugemule, the councillor representing Bugobi Town Council, finds it unfortunate that the school, where notable figures such as the district’s Woman Member of Parliament studied, still lacks sufficient desks. Promised desk supplies have been pending for 15 years.
David Mukisa, the district chairperson, acknowledges the school’s challenges and reveals their commitment to resolving the desk shortage issue. They have initiated the procurement process to provide Nsongwe Primary School with additional desks, thereby addressing one of its pressing needs.
