Following a fire breakout yesterday on 25th September 2022, at Salama School in Mukono, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has decided against shutting it down in spite of its failure to meet the minimum requirements for operating a boarding section.
According to the State Minister for Primary Education Joyce Moriku Kaduchu, the Ministry’s decision not to close the school was reached at considering that it offers services to children with special needs.
“Salama School was only supposed to operate as a day school but offered services for the children with special needs it was catering for,” Kaducu said.
The Minister said that it is okay for the school to continue operating but with only day section at first considering its capacity in terms of building structures and other school equipment.
The Minister together with the school officials told parents to take their children home as the investigations by the police proceed.
“The police will be stationed here, plans for counseling and academic revival is immediate,” she said.
However, the Minister warned that all schools in Uganda are to be subjected to an inspection and those schools which fail to meet the minimum requirements for operating boarding sections will be shut down immediately
Minimum requirements for running a boarding school, according to the ministry of education, include installation of CCTV cameras, alarms, fire, detection systems, building high perimeter fences to prevent illegal entry and exit, having firefighting equipment in school.
Fire broke out on 25th October 2022, at Salama School for the blind in Luga Village, Ntanzi parish, Ntejeru Kisoga town council in Mukono District and left 11 students dead, six children with injuries who are fighting for their lives in Herona hospital in Kisoga.
According to Luke Owoyesigyire, the Deputy Police Spokesperson for Kampala Metropolitan, the investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire is ongoing.
