The deteriorating state of infrastructure at Aduku Secondary School in Kole District has forced authorities to turn to bank loans to finance urgent renovation works aimed at improving the learning environment.
Aduku Secondary School, a government-aided institution founded by the Anglican Church in 1956, has struggled with aging structures originally constructed by the church decades ago. Although government support under the APL project in 2015 added two classroom blocks, the overall infrastructure gap has persisted.
The pressure on facilities has worsened in recent years due to a sharp rise in student enrollment, which has grown from 320 learners in 2020 to 1,113 in 2026. Senior One admissions alone increased from 31 students in 2020 to 250 this year, intensifying congestion in classrooms and dormitories.
To address the challenge, the school secured a FlexiPay loan from Stanbic Bank Uganda amounting to 60 million shillings, to be repaid at 61.2 million shillings, including 1.2 million shillings in interest, according to the head teacher, Zechonia Azzo Odama.Odama said the decision was driven by the poor state of the school’s infrastructure and the need to provide safer learning and accommodation facilities.
He added that limited government funding left the school with no option but to seek financing from a commercial bank, with priority given to renovating overcrowded girls’ and boys’ dormitories.
The school has already completed two new dormitories—Dr. Eyul James House for girls and Professor Agea House for boys. The renovated boys’ dormitory now accommodates about 160 students. Odama said the loan will also support phased renovations while parents continue contributing to development projects.
The next priority project is the renovation of the science laboratory, estimated to cost 75 million shillings. Parents approved a contribution of 45,000 shillings per learner during the first term general meeting, with collections ongoing in the second term expected to raise about 45 million shillings.
The school plans to bridge the remaining 30 million shillings through another bank loan. Odama said the laboratory is in a severely degraded condition and requires urgent rehabilitation ahead of Senior Four practical examinations in October. The works will be implemented in phases.
Science teachers also expressed concern over the condition of the facility. Janan Denis Bua, a physics and mathematics teacher, described the laboratory as “unsafe,” despite having adequate apparatus and equipment.
Students, however, welcomed the renovation efforts, saying improvements in infrastructure have enhanced both health conditions and academic performance.
The Aduku Secondary School Old Students’ Association (ASSOSA) previously launched a fundraising drive dubbed “Cement Collection Drive @30K Every Bag of Cement Counts”.
in 2021, targeting 700 million shillings from alumni and well-wishers. The outcome of the initiative remains unclear.
SOURCE: URN
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