There is uncertainty on the fate of Morukatipe View Primary School and Kasoli health center II in Tororo municipality following the commencement of the eviction exercise to pave way for the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway project.
SGR project officials started demolishing properties lying on the project land week. Although URC has compensated most of the project-affected persons, Tororo district officials say they have not disclosed how much they will compensate for the school and health center. They say this has affected their planning for the scheduled school reopening next month.
Founded in 2004, Morukatipe View Primary School started as a community school to cater to the children living in the slums of Kasoli. The school had more than 500 learners by the time of the closure triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
David Oroni, the Morukatipe Primary School Management Committee, says that when the government announced the SGR project parents started withdrawing their children, which affected enrolment. He says that the school is now isolated and susceptible to vandals following the demolition of the nearby houses.
Teddy Makola, the Tororo Municipal Education Officer, says that the SGR project has also encroached on Helping Hands Secondary School, a private school that has been running under the Universal Secondary Education program.
According to Makola, from 2016 when SGR project officials announced that the project would affect the school, parents started living under tension because of fear that they would take their children for studies.
She says that SGR project officials are yet to disclose to the municipality and the management of the school how much money they would compensate them, which has affected their planning.
Kenneth Orono Nyapid, the Mayor of Tororo Municipality, says that the SGR project, says those who remain in Kasoli parish will find challenges of accessing health and education services once the school and health center are demolished.
The nearest is Murukatippe Primary School, which is between 3 and seven kilometers depending on where one leaves in the parish. Orono however, says that until they receive compensation for the health center and school, they will allow the SGR project to demolish them.
David Batanga, the LC I Chairperson of Kasoli village, says that the SGR project is negatively impacting social services in the area. He says that the demolition of the health center, which serves more than 5000 people will leave many people without any other option when they need treatment.
Betty Nabulime, a resident of Kasoli village, says that although many people have left the area after being compensated, a big population remains. She wants the government to plan for them and construct another health center and school before any demolition is effected.
David Mugabe Alele, the SGR Project Communications Officer, says that they have written to both the Ministry of Health and Education seeking to understand who ought to be compensated between the Ministries or the Municipality. He says that they will not demolish the health center and the school until they have effected the compensation.
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