Bukomansimbi District authorities have unearthed a staggering total of 2,520 ghost pupils across various primary schools. The discovery was made during an inspection conducted by district leaders, spearheaded by Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Mr. Fred Kalema Pax and District National Resident Movement (NRM) Chairperson Mr. Shafik Mwanje, during the first term.
Initial investigations by political leaders and the police indicate that school administrators colluded with District Education Officer Mr. Patrick Zziwa and Inspector of Schools Mr. Fred Mutebi to inflate enrollment figures. However, both officials vehemently deny these allegations.
Mr. Mwanje expressed dismay at the situation, stating that this deceit was aimed at defrauding the government. He emphasized the need to expose those responsible, serving as a cautionary tale for other districts. He further highlighted the government’s substantial investments in the education sector and denounced the actions of its own employees.
Mr. Kalema stressed the importance of resuming on-spot inspections during the second term to ascertain the actual enrollment numbers in public schools, ensuring the prudent use of taxpayers’ money.
According to Mr. Twaha Kasirye, the Southern Region Police spokesperson, statements have been recorded from the implicated officials, revealing that the scam began in 2019.
During the inspection, several schools were found to have vastly inflated enrollment numbers. For instance, Kyamabaale Primary School claimed to have 364 pupils, but a head count revealed only 107 learners. St. Andrew’s Primary School, Kayanja, reported 423 learners, yet the actual count was 157. Similarly, St. Sebastian Primary School registered 691 learners but had only 88 pupils, while Lwenkuba Primary School claimed an enrollment of 462, but only 30 pupils were present. Makoomi Primary School recorded an enrollment of 580 learners, but the actual count was 108.
The head teacher of Makoomi Primary School, Mr. Samuel Kityo, confessed that officials from the district education department had instructed them to inflate enrollment numbers in order to secure adequate funding. He urged authorities not to arrest him, revealing that their superiors were involved and would share the misappropriated funds.
Mr. Zziwa expressed surprise at the existence of ghost pupils in the schools and requested time to investigate all public schools thoroughly before submitting a comprehensive report.
The creation of ghost pupils alone reportedly costs taxpayers approximately $11 million (about Shs41 billion) annually, as estimated by the Ministry of Finance.
This scandal underscores the urgent need for accountability, transparency, and stringent measures to combat corruption within the education system, safeguarding public funds and ensuring quality education for all.
Would you like to get published on this Website? You can now email Uganda Times: an Opinion, any breaking news, Exposes, story ideas, human interest, articles, or any interesting videos: [email protected]. Or join the Ugandatimes WhatsApp Group or Telegram Channel for the latest updates
