Kisoro Technical Institute is grappling with a severe funding crisis that threatens its quality of education and services.
The Principal, Kisoro Technical Institute, Fokureba Jackson, said in an interview with Voice of Muhabura, that the institute is facing funding challenges as well as teaching aids provided by the government.
“The curriculum was changed which is modular assessment. A lot of training materials and workshops are required. We have facilities but they are not adequate. We are struggling with resources to train these learners.” Said Fokushaba.
According to Fokushaba, government is sponsoring only 100 learners at the institute.
Nkunzimana Julius, the ICT Instructor at Kisoro Technical Institute expressed frustration over the impact of the funding shortfall on project work, a critical component of technical education.
“Our institute is faced with funding shortfalls and poor infrastructure. The capitation funds sent here cannot cater for students and also buy requirements. We need workshops for departments like electrical, plumbing, woodwork, ICT and others……we just improvise and that means the students don’t get the required skills because we just improvise on our own.”
Mr Nkunzingoma also blames stakeholders and authorities for failing to monitor and help in addressing the challenges at the institute.
“Even the people who are supposed to help us are not helping because they don’t come on ground to identify those problems. They just sit in their offices and wait for the problems that will happen at the school (institute) instead of coming to identify those challenges and act fast.” He said.
The Guild President, Betty Akello, cites administrative failure in managing the funding crisis.
Much as Akello blames the government’s limited funding for the woes, she equally faults the administration for poorly managing what is available.
She said that the financial troubles are partly due to issues inherited from the tenure of the previous principal. Allegations of mismanagement and improper allocation of funds during that time have contributed to the current crisis.
“Last year it was worse, but it has improved. We however don’t have enough materials in our workshops. The government has also transferred some staffs but there were no replacements.” Says Akello.
While addressing a gathering in Nyakabande Sub County last week, the State Minister for Defense, Hon Sarah Nyirabashitsi Mateke acknowledged the predicament of the institution.
She however noted that the problem was raised to the Minister of Education during the recent Cabinet retreat at Kyankwanzi.
In June last year, students at Kisoro Technical Institute stormed the Office of the RDC and CAO with a 30-point presentation on the Institute’s weaknesses that had affected their ability to continue learning.
The students who took a diplomatic approach of dialogue said if their concerns were not addressed quickly, they would have no choice but to strike.
Among the key issues raised in their petition included poor sanitation, shortage of seats, darkness within and outside classrooms, and dilapidates dormitories.
The learners, who matched to Kisoro Administration Offices, presented their demands to the then Kisoro RDC, Hajj Shafik Sekandi.
Sekandi, later accompanied by members of Security, the Chief Administrative Officer and the District Education Officer, visited the Institute premises.
In their report, it was observed that the tutors were equally not in good terms with the school administrators.
The then RDC noted that he had written to the Ministry of Education and Sports to consider overhauling the entire school administration.
Sekandi said the Institute was receiving Shs50 Million every term under the capitation grant, but there was no proper accountability on spending.
“We are also requesting for an internal audit of the Institute’s financial dealings to determine who should be held responsible for the school’s failure”, Sekandi said.
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