New site not suitable for Shimoni school
May 10, 2007
THE ministry of education has abandoned the proposed new site for Shimoni Demonstration School on the Lugogo by-pass because of the poor terrain.
Josephine Maseruka
and Paul Kiwuuwa
THE ministry of education has abandoned the proposed new site for Shimoni Demonstration School on the Lugogo by-pass because of the poor terrain.
Education minister Namirembe Bitamazire yesterday told the parliamentary committee on natural resources that the Government would need billions of shillings to stabilise the area to accommodate storeyed structures.
“We were advised by the engineers that the terrain was poor and a lot of money would be spent on improving the land before it is built on.â€
The minister said sh3.5b was available for land acquisition and consultations were in advanced stages to acquire land within Kampala for permanent structures.
Shimoni is temporarily accommodated at Kololo East Primary School, while the students of Shimoni Teachers College were transferred to Nyondo Teachers College in Mbale.
A reliable source from the ministry, however, told The New Vision that the new land was owned by an individual and the ministry was negotiating on payments and compensation.
The source said the land is in Kira Town Council in Wakiso district.
The school, together with the teachers’ college, were initially on prime land in central Kampala, between Nile Avenue and Dewinton Road.
The area was given to a Saudi Arabian tycoon Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal to build a $60m (about sh105b) hotel for the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November.
Al Waleed contributed $2m to relocate the school by January 3, but construction has not yet started.
The MPs were concerned about the delays in developing the land. They argued that the pupils and parents were relocated for nothing.
Shimoni Demonstration School, which had 2,219 pupils, lost 1,366 to other schools.
and Paul Kiwuuwa
THE ministry of education has abandoned the proposed new site for Shimoni Demonstration School on the Lugogo by-pass because of the poor terrain.
Education minister Namirembe Bitamazire yesterday told the parliamentary committee on natural resources that the Government would need billions of shillings to stabilise the area to accommodate storeyed structures.
“We were advised by the engineers that the terrain was poor and a lot of money would be spent on improving the land before it is built on.â€
The minister said sh3.5b was available for land acquisition and consultations were in advanced stages to acquire land within Kampala for permanent structures.
Shimoni is temporarily accommodated at Kololo East Primary School, while the students of Shimoni Teachers College were transferred to Nyondo Teachers College in Mbale.
A reliable source from the ministry, however, told The New Vision that the new land was owned by an individual and the ministry was negotiating on payments and compensation.
The source said the land is in Kira Town Council in Wakiso district.
The school, together with the teachers’ college, were initially on prime land in central Kampala, between Nile Avenue and Dewinton Road.
The area was given to a Saudi Arabian tycoon Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal to build a $60m (about sh105b) hotel for the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November.
Al Waleed contributed $2m to relocate the school by January 3, but construction has not yet started.
The MPs were concerned about the delays in developing the land. They argued that the pupils and parents were relocated for nothing.
Shimoni Demonstration School, which had 2,219 pupils, lost 1,366 to other schools.