Special school absence hindering education access in Bunyoro

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HOIMA

The lack of adequate special needs education infrastructure in the Bunyoro region has left many children with disabilities in the doldrums.

Mary Atugonza, the female Kyabigambire sub-county councillor representing people with disabilities (PWDs) says the lack of essential scholastic materials, absence of trained teachers and lack of special infrastructure are hindering access to education for children with disabilities.

According to Atugonza, there is a growing demand for special needs education in Bunyoro and that many of the children who are supposed to be in school are struggling to access education.

Atugonza made the remarks on February 24, 2025, while handing over sanitary kits by Feeble Care Uganda at Kyabigambire sub-county in Hoima district to PWDs.

“In the entire region we only have two special needs school in Masindi and Kagadi districts and many of the parents cannot afford to take their children to Masindi and Kagadi. They are primary schools. We are, therefore, appealing to the Government and other development partners to come out and help our people access education,” she said.

In Busanga Primary School in Katikara sub-county, Kakumiro district, the school is struggling to offer education to the learners.

“We don’t have teachers trained to handle the learners with special needs and we have about 30 of them at school,” Ibrahim Mugisa, a teacher, said.

She pointed out that the two existing special needs schools have become referral centres, even drawing students from neighbouring regions of Buganda and Tooro.

“Many districts like Hoima, Buliisa, Kikuube, Kibaale and Hoima city rely on mainstream primary schools that often lack special teachers and resources,” she said.

Sophie Kaseregenyi, the executive director for Feeble Care Uganda, said due to the lack of a special needs school, many of the children living with disabilities are missing out on the chances of education.

“The Government has initiated very many good programmes targeting PWDs but because of limited access to education many of them end up failing to access them because they don’t have the knowledge,” Kaseregenyi said.

Emily Nasobora from Feeble care Uganda training caregivers of children with PWDs on how to use sanitary pads at Kyabigambire sub-county in Hoima district on Monday. (Credit: Wilson Asiimwe)

Appeal for special teachers

Gilbert Bigirwenkya, the executive director Hoima Union of People Living with Disabilities (HUDIP), said several schools in Hoima City and district don’t have special needs teachers.

“Currently many schools don’t have teachers for special needs and we have been appealing to the authorities to ensure that every school gets about three teachers to help the PWDs,” Bigirwenkya said.

Buliisa district education officer, Tyson Kasangaki, said recently the district was struggling with shortage of teachers and it is difficult for them to attract special needs teachers.

He said that they have plans of establishment of special needs units in some selected schools and he hopes for support from the education ministry to address the needs of children with disabilities.

Special needs schools closed

Julius Busingye, the LC1 chairperson for Kasonga ward in Kyangwali sub-county in Kikuube, revealed that some special unit schools which had been opened up within the Kyangwali refugees’ settlement camp to cater for the children with disabilities have been shut down after development partners withdrew aid.

“The schools have also been helping the children from the host communities but most of them are shutting down because the different development Partners that opened them no longer have funding, the projects have closed down,” he said.

Jack Twinobusingye, a resident of Kyangwali sub-county, said the school is challenged to offer desired attention to the learners because only one teacher is posted to handle them from primary one to primary seven.

“The lack of teachers and support by parents is threatening the progress of special needs because some of the parents hide the children, they don’t bring them out for assessment to see if they are ready for classes,” he said.

Special needs education targets children with visual, hearing, learning, and motor impairments among other disabilities. 

By 2024, Bishop Rwakaikara Primary School in Kagadi district had a total enrolment of 125 learners. The school attracts learners from Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Kakumiro, Hoima, Kibaale and Mubende.

However, headteacher, the Rev. Herbert Mugisa, said the lack of enough teachers and neglect by many parents has contributed significantly to the poor performance of learners in the school.

Mugisa said the school is challenged to offer desired attention to the learners because only few teachers are posted to handle them from primary one to primary seven. He explains that during the classes, learners need sign language interpreters whereas others need special handling but some attend lessons without a teacher because the only teacher is engaged in another class.

Mugisa said that they need more teachers for Special needs per class if the learners will be able to learn like others during lessons.

He said that the learners also receive little support from their parents and many are neglected at school, affecting their learning. “So many times, we have been forced to struggle and look for food to feed the learners after their parents failed to support them. Some learners have narrated to me cases where their parents give school requirements to normal children but for them, they receive nothing,” Mugisa said.

He added that in 2024, they registered five candidates for the Primary Leaving Examinations and they all passed in second grade.