Local residents of Butenga town council in Bukomansimbi district want the government to consider establishing a secondary school in their area in a bid to promote girl child education.
Residents are now willing to offer lands for the establishment of a secondary school.
These remarks were made on July 30, 2024, in Meru ward during a village meeting where they revealed that their children face a lot of challenges during these long distances because they pass through bushy and swampy places, which puts their safety at risk.
One of the locals, identified as Gerald Massaba, said many children have continued to drop out of school due to the long distance to access the only available schools in Kitoma, Butenga, and Kitasa.
Massaba said this has also negatively impacted on girl children within the area since the majority often resort to early marriages.
He further revealed that some of the girls have been raped, abducted, and sexually harassed, while others are killed when they resist advances.
’’We urgently need a seed secondary school in Meru ward so that our children, especially the girl child, can easily get access to education to save their future.
Massaba urged the government to look into this matter immediately because the lives, safety, and health of their children are at risk.
President Museveni has in the recent past maintained government commitment to establishing at least one secondary school in every sub county.