Protest Ensues as Busia School Closes for Poultry Business

Summary:

• Parents and pupils protest against Busia Unique Nursery and Primary School’s director, Muhammad Bashir, who planned to close the school and convert it into a poultry farm. The decision left 200 students in limbo and endangered staff jobs.

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Parents and pupils of Busia Unique Nursery and Primary School have taken to the streets to protest against the director’s decision to close the school and convert its classrooms into a poultry farm. This unexpected move has left approximately 200 pupils uncertain about their future and jeopardized the jobs of over a dozen teachers and staff members.

Suleiman Muto, a concerned parent, disclosed that on March 1, the school director, Muhammad Bashir, prevented pupils from entering the premises for their lessons, leaving many disappointed children returning home without access to their classrooms.

Muto expressed his disappointment, having learned from his children about the director’s plan to shut down the school and repurpose it for poultry farming. This decision sparked the protest as parents worried about their children’s education.

Muto highlighted the financial strain on parents, noting that many had already paid school fees and other expenses for the term. The sudden change in the school’s direction came as a shock and added to the burden of families already struggling with educational costs.

Patrick Omukaga, another parent, revealed that the director had been pressuring parents to promptly pay all school fees at the beginning of the term, raising concerns about the school’s stability among parents.

Omukaga, who has four children enrolled at the school, found it difficult to meet the director’s demands for immediate payment of fees, adding to the financial pressure faced by many families.

Fatuma Kibekityo, another concerned parent, recounted how Bashir had previously dismissed all teachers and the headmaster, Omari Musana, prompting both staff and pupils to rally for their reinstatement and the continuation of the school’s operations.

In response to the allegations, Bashir denied closing the school, citing concerns about financial accountability. He stated that he had asked the headmaster to provide a clear account of the money collected from parents due to significant losses the school was facing.

The situation escalated, involving law enforcement, with police, the Busia deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC), and municipal education department officials intervening. After a meeting with school stakeholders, Deputy RDC Grace Kanuna clarified that the school had not closed and that the issue stemmed from a misunderstanding between the director and the headmaster regarding financial matters.

Kanuna assured parents and pupils that teaching would resume promptly after the resolution of the dispute, aiming to restore normalcy and ensure the continuity of education for the affected pupils.