SIRONKO, UGANDA: Parents of Budadiri girls secondary school in Sironko district have disbanded the Parent’s Teachers Association (PTA) over allegations of conniving with the headteacher to embezzle over Shillings 16 million.
The newly appointed PTA executive is chaired by Godfrey Gudio. The other members are Saphat Mudyadya as vice chairperson, Rose Kayinza as Treasurer, Maria Nandege, Alex Wanzala, David Nandege, Moses Kisombo, and Michael Namakuyu as members.
The move comes a few months after the Ministry of Education and Sports asked the Head of Budadiri girl’s secondary school Charles Kirya to step aside to pave way for investigations into allegations of misappropriation of over 16 million Shillings.
The ministry appointed the deputy teacher, Gertrude Katushabe to caretaker the school until the investigations are complete. Hebert Musika, the Nalusala Sub County LC V councilor and Sironko District Social Services Secretary, says that the old PTA executive had overstayed their mandate since their term of office expired three years back.
He explained that according to the guidelines, the PTA executive is supposed to serve three years, but the disbanded team had served for seven years.
Francis Manyaku, the LC III Chairperson of Budadiri town council and a parent at the school urged the new PTA members to be transparent while executing their duties such that the school doesn’t return to the old mess.
Godfrey Gudio, the newly elected PTA Chairperson promised to work with head teachers and other leaders to make sure that no money is misappropriated. He said that following the misappropriation of the UGX 16 million, the school has been grappling with paying debts like clearing over ten teachers on the PTA payroll who had taken over one year without pay and water bills among others.
Isaiah Sasaga, the Budadiri East Member of Parliament where the school falls urged the government to expedite the investigations such that Kirya is either punished or ordered to refund the missing money. During the same function, Sasaga donated girls’ sports uniforms and balls to students as a way of uplifting their sports talents.
He pledged to give the necessary support to the school to make sure that Budadiri girls like other pioneer schools in the district attain its lost glory. Gertrude Katushabe, the head teacher of Budadiri girls asked the community to own the school instead of leaving it To Whom It May Concern.
She said that most of the parents and neighbors are pulling the school down indirectly by vandalizing the school fence, and not paying school dues among others, which affects its operations.
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