By Jazeerah Mirembe
MBALE.The Kadhi of Bugisu Muslim District Council, Sheikh Issa Ahmad Masaba Pole, has blasted President Museveni’s education aide, Jimmy Nambiro, accusing him of selectively targeting Nkoma Secondary School in Mbale City over the collection of supplementary dues from parents. Sheikh Masaba warned that repeated interventions at the school could disrupt teaching, demoralise teachers and undermine students’ academic performance, particularly during the third term.
The Muslim leaders say Nkoma SS, which has more than 7,000 students, has only 168 teachers, of whom 80 are on the government payroll. The school relies on contributions from parents to pay the remaining teachers and support staff and meet other operational costs.
“When the President said parents should not pay school fees, he did not say they should not buy other requirements. The money available is not even enough to provide lunch for the children,” Sheikh Masaba said.
He was speaking at a press conference at his office at Plot 6 Mosque along Republic Street on Friday, where he questioned why Nambiro had concentrated his enforcement efforts on Nkoma SS despite the presence of other government-aided schools in Mbale.
“Every day, I hear that police have gone to Nkoma SS. There are many government schools here in Mbale, including Mbale SS and others. Why is he focusing all his energy on Nkoma?” he asked.
Sheikh Masaba warned that continued interventions could affect students’ academic performance, holding Nambiro responsible for any poor results arising from what he described as interference in teaching.
“If our children do not perform well this year, we shall attribute it to Nambiro because his continuous interference and intimidation of teachers have affected teaching,” he said.
He also accused Nambiro of embarrassing Nkoma SS head teacher in front of students over a decision to send learners home to remind their parents about PTA fees.
“I was annoyed when Nambiro embarrassed our head teacher in front of students for sending children home to remind their parents about school fees. That was wrong,” Sheikh Masaba said.
The Kadhi maintained that the school’s administration should be allowed to address its financial and operational challenges through established structures, including the Board of Governors and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).
He said the same approach should apply to other Muslim-founded schools under the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, including Lwakhakha, Bufumbo, Bukonde, Hamidan Girls and Nakaloke. “If he identifies anything wrong at the school, he should first sit with the Muslim leaders responsible for the institution instead of using his position in government to disrupt learning,” he said.
Haji Ali Waboga, chairman of the Bugisu Muslim District Council, also questioned Nambiro’s focus on Nkoma SS, arguing that the school was not a skilling institution despite Nambiro’s responsibilities as President Museveni’s Private Secretary in charge of Education and Skilling and head of the State House Education Desk.
Waboga said the interventions had demoralised teachers and created an environment that could undermine learning during the third term.