The Minister for Local Government, Raphael Magyezi, has today commissioned two primary schools and education department administration block constructed by the government of Iceland under
the Namayingo District Development Programme for Fishing Communities (NDDP-FC)

The Iceland government last year embarked on improving the education,Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the fishing communities of Banda, Buhemba and Mutumba sub counties.

The district Chief Administrative Officer, Edith Namayega, said that six schools have so far been constructed under the NDDP-FC in a bid of improving learning environment.The first implementation included the construction and rehabilitation of three primary schools of Bumeru, Buchumba and Isinde. The education department administration block at the district headquarters was also
constructed.
In the second phase, civil works are ongoing in Bukewa p/s and Mutumba p/s. Construction work at Busiro church of God primary school was completed.At every school, the scope of works included construction and rehabilitation of classrooms, construction of administration block, staff houses, sanitation facilities, installation of solar power and harvesting water tanks, fencing among others. The schools have also
been equipped with desks.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony held at Busiro church of God primary school in Banda sub county, Rutur Arnason, the Iceland’s embassy head of cooperation, said that his government is committed to supporting education and WASH in Uganda.

“We are enhancing quality education in the fishing communities by creating better and safe learning environments for pupils,” Rutur said.

He urged the school administration and teachers to focus on improved performance of pupils since they have better facilities.
“We want improvement in performance of pupils,” Rutur said.In the minister’s speech delivered by John Genda Walala, the director in-charge of inspection in the ministry of Local Government, the
minister commended the Iceland government for boosting the education sector especially in the rural and marginalized fishing communities in the country.

Margret Makoha, the woman Member of Parliament for Namayingo district urged parents to use the facilities by encouraging their children to study.

“This is a Godsend opportunity. Support children to enable them attain education,” Makoha said. She noted that over the year, a number of children dropped out of schools due to poor infrastructure, child labour, teenage pregnancies and early marriages among others.

The district chairperson, Ronald Sanya, chairperson said that the Iceland support has improved on the education standards and learning conditions in the district.“Some of the children that had dropped out of school have now returned to access education,” Sanya said.

According to statistics from the district planning department, the primary level  completion rate for boys in the year 2019 was at 31.2%, while that of the girls was at 27%.

“We have now embarked on community mobilization and mind set change sessions to enable the parents fully support the education programme in the district,” Sanya said.The $8m programme is intended to address the development constraints in the district related to deficiencies in delivering basic services
to the fishing communities. In addition to poverty reduction and facilitate improvement in livelihood and general living conditions of the fishing communities.

During the function, the Iceland government handed over seven motorcycles to help in the WASH project implementation.

The ceremony was attended by Anthony Namara, the commissioner in-charge of local economic development in the ministry of local government who represented the permanent secretary, area Members of Parliament, officials from education ministry, district chairpersons of Mayuge, Namutumba, Kaliro, Bugweri, stakeholders, district leadership and technical team