___________________

The Minister of State for Finance (General Duties) Henry Musasizi has explained the delay in establishing a technical school per county.

“Establishing a technical school per county has also been delayed because of limited resources,” the minister on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, told the Parliament Committee on Government Assurance.

He appeared before the committee chaired by Abed Bwanika to give an update on the status of financing the construction of seed secondary schools in sub-counties and, the establishment of a technical school per county and public university per sub-region.

The minister said funds under the Uganda Inter-Governmental Fiscal Transfers (UGIFT) program have been provided to local government since the 2018/19 financial year to construct schools and to date, 102 schools are complete and operational while 126 are at various stages of completion.

He however cautioned that an increase in administrative units may affect this policy of having a seed secondary school and health centre III, in every sub-county given the resource constraints.

Under the Inter-Government Fiscal Transfer (UgIFT) programme, the Government plans to construct up to 259 schools in Sub-counties without Seed Schools.

The construction was handled in three phases: the first phase which covers 117, the second phase 115, and 27 schools in the third phase.

Regarding the policy on public universities, minister Musasizi said all sub-regions have been covered apart from Bugisu and Karamoja.

He said the Government has established constituency colleges in the two sub-regions. Busitema University is establishing a college of medicine in Mbale, while Gulu University is establishing a college in Moroto and Kotido.

Musasizi said plans are also underway to rehabilitate traditional schools.

The Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Program Project for Uganda (UgIFT) is aimed at improving the adequacy and equity of fiscal transfers and improving fiscal management of resources by Local Governments for health and education services.

Abed Bwanika resolved to write to the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanjato get the final position of government on seed schools before reporting back to Parliament.

“The people of this country, everywhere you go, they are waiting for a seed secondary school in every sub-county, whether it was created yesterday or 20 years ago. The people of Uganda are waiting for a health centre III in every sub-county regardless of when it was created. We are going to write to the Prime Minister and ask her to confirm the withdrawal based on your statement, what she will tell us is what we shall carry as the report to the House because our work is according to rules, when assurance is withdrawn, we are supposed to report to Parliament,” Bwanika said.