Ntungamo Hands Over Site for Shs3.8bn Seed Secondary School Project

Ntungamo District authorities have officially handed over the site for the construction of St Benedict Seed Secondary School in Kagarama Town Council to Vidas Engineering Services Construction Company, marking a major step toward expanding access to secondary education in the area.

The long-awaited project, valued at Shs3.8 billion, will sit on seven acres of land and is expected to be completed within 10 months.

The initiative forms part of the government’s broader policy of ensuring that every sub-county has at least one government secondary school to improve access to affordable education in underserved rural areas.

Speaking during the handover, Asuman Kigongo said the project would significantly improve education standards and opportunities for learners in the district.

“It is going to consume around Shs3.8 billion and they are going to complete this project in less than 10 months. We hope that when this project is done then the students of Ntungamo will get what they are supposed to be getting in terms of education,” Kigongo said.

The project had stalled since 2021 due to approval processes and land ownership disputes because the land belonged to the Catholic Church. However, the Church later donated the land to support education development in the community.

Nicholas Asingwire said the decision to donate the land was aimed at promoting education among children in the area.

“We decided as a church to donate the land to the community and to the school because we need to promote boy and girl child education,” Fr. Asingwire said.

The school will include modern facilities such as eight classrooms, an administration block, a science laboratory, an ICT laboratory, a multipurpose hall, four five-stance latrine blocks, staff houses, a playground, and an incinerator.

Project Engineer Denis Tumusime said all required approvals had already been secured, including clearance from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

“With the certificate from NEMA, we have its approval, then approval of the local government, plans, then we have a contractor called Vidas Engineering Services Limited. This school here will take Shs3.8 billion. Among what will be built are the eight classrooms,” Tumusime said.

District authorities added that the school will also be equipped with a library and additional learning resources upon completion.

Denis Ntare noted that Ntungamo’s large population and geographical size had continued to strain access to secondary education.

“Ntungamo District being very big geographically with a big population, it has been having a crisis in secondary education. It will add onto existing seed schools like Nyabihoko Seed Secondary School,” Ntare said.

Construction is expected to officially commence on May 29, with leaders saying the project will also create employment opportunities for local residents during and after construction.

“On the 29th of this month, that is when the contractor will bring all the materials and start working. By the time they start to work, the contractor must be having the BOQs. Today we were just handing over the site to them to see where they are going to construct,” Kigongo added.