Rukungiri schools’ Inspector refutes Allegations of denying UNEB Centre to Charity School

Rukungiri: The Rukungiri district Principal Inspector of Schools, Mrs Lydia Tushemerirwe, has dismissed claims that her office denied Bridge of Hope Nursery and Primary School a Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) centre.

Speaking in an interview with our reporter from her office at Rukungiri District headquarters on Thursday September 19, 2024, Tushemerirwe stated that she had never received any application from the complaining school requesting for a UNEB centre.

She emphasized that without such a formal request, the district cannot process their application.

Her response came after Benjamin Abasa, the founder and manager of Bridge of Hope Ministry, a non-governmental organization providing free education to needy children in Rukungiri, claimed that his school had been unfairly denied a UNEB centre.

Abasa argued that Bridge of Hope Nursery and Primary has been performing well, with their learners consistently achieving first and second-grade results.

He said the school, which aims to provide quality education to orphaned and abandoned children, should be granted a centre so that learners can sit for their Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) their school.

Abasa added that when they applied for the UNEB centre, they were told the school lacked sufficient infrastructure, such as large classrooms and a hall to accommodate students during exams.

He expressed disappointment, noting that donors from England who visited government schools with UNEB centres found Bridge of Hope Nursery and Primary school having better facilities than some of these schools.

In addition to providing education, Abasa highlighted the school’s contributions to the community, such as supporting over 200 households monthly, building homes, latrines, kitchens, and providing safe water sources.

He said it has been difficult to explain to donors why the school was not granted a UNEB centre.

However, Tushemerirwe clarified that the UNEB centre approval process is not handled by the district but by UNEB itself, which assesses applications submitted through the district education office.

She added that no such request had ever been made by Bridge of Hope Nursery and Primary school.

Tushemerirwe further explained that UNEB needs to allocate additional resources, including staff and exam supervisors, for any new centre, which is why applications are carefully reviewed before approval.