Zombo – Education stakeholders have come to the rescue of St Aloysius College Nyapea in Zombo district.

The college has for years been struggling to attract students coupled with poor performance.

The enrollment of the school dropped to below 100 students in recent years but thanks to the education ministry and old students of the school who have come out to restore the college from closure.

On Tuesday, the stakeholders commissioned two new classroom blocks. The project cost stands at shillings 308 million for the two classroom blocks with 100 desks.

Br. Paul Nantinda, the head teacher of St Aloysius College Nyapea in Zombo district. (Photo By Robert Ariaka)

The contractor handed the structures to the district, which in turn, handed the keys to the school administration for use.,

Speaking to New Vision Online on Tuesday shortly after the commissioning of the two classroom blocks, headteacher Bro. Paul Nantinda said in 2015, when he joined as a classroom teacher and later became the headteacher in 2017, the college had only 118 students.

The school was started in 1938 by the brothers of Sacred Heart in Gulu and in 1940, it was shifted to Nyapea. The low enrolment is a concern for many, including the old boys who offered to mobilise resources to support the school.

This has seen the enrolment increase gradually to 434 students in 2023. Nantinda said the school is a joy of the community after its revival. He identified one of the factors that attracted children to the school as the presence of the school band.

Nyapea was known for having a vibrant band, but when the old band instruments got worn out, it made their participation in the parades and other social functions a challenge.

The old boys have bought new band instruments to restore the old glory, attract more learners and encourage the community to educate their children.

The old boys went ahead to join the Lions Club, which offered an agricultural project, constructed a gate entry to the school and installed three boreholes.

The construction of five new classrooms in the school has facelifted the old-looking structures, according to the headteacher.

“The ministry has been paying attention to the college, but the channels were wrong, and the persons involved mishandled the funds. When the ministry changed strategy, this has made changes that have now attracted more learners” Nantinda said.

Before the construction of the two new classroom blocks, the school relied on 10 old-looking classrooms.

The gap needed eight new classrooms, but only five have been constructed by Rhema Engineering after securing funds from the education ministry.