HOIMA STUDENTS STORM DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS OVER POOR SERVICES, DEMAND TRANSFER OF PRINCIPAL

By Yosam Gucwaki

www.mknewslink.com

In Hoima—

Students of Buhimba Vocational and Technical Institute have stormed Hoima district headquarters demanding for the immediate transfer of their principal.Over 100 students woke up at 4:00am and trekked a distance of 12km to Hoima district headquarters yesterday morning.

They accuse their Principal Akoki Anyamo of among other things alleged failure to organise practical training, provide them with safety wears, account for computers that were stolen from the school recently and conduct auto CAD lectures. The students vowed not to allow Anyamo to step in the school compound for purported maladministration.

Evaristo Mugisa, the Guild President of Buhimba Vocational and Technical Institute told www.mknewslink.com that they had never had any practical lessons since this academic year begun yet some of them will sit their finals next month.He added that each student paid 50,000 shillings for practical training.

According to Mugisa, he forwarded the students complaints to the principal but turned a deaf ear. This prompted the students to storm the district for assistance.

Stella Mbabazi, one of the students, said it is difficult for them to conduct research because of congestion in the laboratory that has only five not fully functional computers. She demanded the principals explanation how the 11 computers were stolen from the school laboratory yet it was not broken into.

The Hoima District Education Officer, Godfrey Sserwanja appealed for calm among the students, saying his office will engage the Ministry of Education and Sports and other district authorities on how best to address their complaints. He assured the students that Anyamo will stay away from the school until their concerns are resolved amicably.

Sserwanja thus advised students to return to the school and concentrate on their books as some of them are due to write their final papers.

When contacted on phone last evening, Anyamo told Mk Newslink.com that he left the institute last Friday and was locked up in a meeting with the commissioner in charge of Business Technical Vocational Education and Training (BTVET).

Buhimba Vocational andTechnical institute that started in 2016 has 150 students.

Source: www.mknewslink.com a greater western Uganda news website
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