APAC, UGANDA: More than 900 pupils of Igoti Primary School in Ibuje Sub-county have been left stranded after a violent storm destroyed all classroom blocks, forcing authorities to close the school indefinitely.
The storm, accompanied by heavy rains and strong winds, tore off roofs, snapped timber structures, and destroyed learning materials, leaving the school completely unusable.
Head teacher Hosca Okello said the disaster has crippled operations and wiped out essential teaching resources. “All our classroom structures have been destroyed. We have nowhere to conduct lessons,” Okello said.
He added that scholastic materials worth over Shs800,000—including books, records, and teaching aids—were destroyed by rainwater.
The closure now leaves hundreds of learners in limbo, with fears growing over disruptions to academic progress.
“These children were in the middle of the term. Keeping them out of school for long will greatly affect their performance,” he warned.
Apac District Education Officer Bosco Elyak urged parents and stakeholders to act swiftly to restore learning. “Education cannot wait. We need immediate collaboration to establish temporary learning structures so that pupils can return to class,” Elyak said.
The disaster extended beyond the school, with at least 34 homes destroyed and crops wiped out, leaving families displaced.
LC3 Chairperson Alex Ogota described the situation as devastating. “This rain has not only affected the school but also the entire community. Families have lost homes and livelihoods,” Ogota said.
He called for urgent humanitarian assistance, including shelter and food support for affected households.
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