Why sh10b Nakaseke institute has failed to 'take off'

Nakaseke authorities have asked the education ministry to intervene in the running of Nakaseke Technical Institute for fear that it may collapse due to alleged poor management.

The call comes after a recent special audit report unearthed rot in the running of the eight-year-old government institution.

Funded by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) the shillings 10 billion polytechnic, which is located at the district headquarters at Butalangu, was supposed to offer formal and informal training in agriculture, metal mechanics, plumbing and metal works.

The state-of-the-art institution, which is equipped with modern facilities, was among other objectives expected to raise living standards by skilling the thousands of unemployed residents of the former triangle.

However, the most expensive government education institution in the region has turned out to be a White elephant after failing to live up to its expectations.

According to the audit report, the institute has not only failed to attract students, but has also failed to optimality utilise the multimillion worth of the installed equipment due to poor management.

Although the institution is supposed to admit 600 students, it currently has about 193 students, according to the principal, Alexander Mugisha.

The report also revealed that equipment, including a minibus and a tractor given to the institute, had broken down while others worth shillings 13 million cannot be traced.

The chairperson of the management board, Desiderio Ssaku who recently assumed office, said the institution lacked a strategic plan as a result of which he had nowhere to start from.

Luwero district LC5 chairperson Ignatius Koomu said on December 10, 2024, that he had instructed the chief administrative officer to officially inform the education ministry about the institution's mismanagement.

Koomu further said he and the institute board members had fixed appointments with education ministry officials so that they intervene.

Koomu complained that the administrators are rarely at the institute while the students spend most of their time roaming in the surrounding villages.

False accusations

When contacted, institute principal Alexander Mugisha denied accusations that he had run down the institute.

Mugisha instead apportioned blame on poor government funding and understaffing.

Mugisha said the Institute had less than half of the required tutors.

The principal also revealed that millions worth of modern Italian-made equipment that was supplied by the Government, including a three-phase generator, was lying idle due to a lack of capacity to utilise them.

Nakaseke sub-county LC3 chairperson Eric Migadde said the students spend most of the time doing casual jobs or loitering in the neighbouring districts, due to redundancy.

Little publicity

According to Steven Batanudde, the Nakaseke district education officer, the institution, despite being well equipped, has had little publicity as a result of which very few people are aware of its existence.

Batanudde also says there is a need to sensitise parents so that they change their negative attitude towards vocational training for their children.

According to former Nakaseke North legislator Syda Bbumba, the Senior Four admission requirement for prospective students is too high for the people of the former triangle.

Bumba advises the polytechnic administration to introduce informal courses for primary school graduates who form the bulk of school dropouts in the catchment area.

A cross-section of residents interviewed said the shillings 600,000 which the students pay in tuition is too high for the average parent in the area.