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Pupils in unroofed classroom block
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Studies at Kawolongojjo Primary School in Namungo sub-county, Mityana district, were temporarily halted on Monday following a strong hailstorm that unroofed its largest classroom block.
The four-classroom block, which accommodated Primary Three to Six pupils, the staffroom, and the headteacher's office, was completely unroofed during the heavy hailstorm that lasted over two hours on Sunday evening. When we visited the school on Monday, teachers were busy in the staffroom trying to retrieve some textbooks from the flooded building as a few pupils played around the compound.
“We thank God that nobody was injured as it happened late evening when we were all away, and we hope that it does not happen again,” said Ruth Nabwami, the headteacher.
Nabwami stated that they are stranded with the pupils who turned up for studies yet cannot be accommodated anywhere. The school has a population of over 200 pupils.
“We do not have anywhere to gather these pupils for classes. We may have to get temporary structures like tents, but we do not have money,” she said. 
Pupils studying from the compound
In the school compound, the tree that used to act as a classroom also fell down. Nabwami mentioned that she had called for an urgent parents’ meeting to chart the way forward and had also written to the district leaders informing them about the problem.
“We have resolved to call the parents and discuss the issue, but we have also alerted the district leaders, informing them that we are stuck,” she said.
Faisal Jjemba, a resident of the area and chairperson of the school management committee, said some of the classroom iron sheets were picked from the gardens and bushes near the school. He appealed to the district to consider their school as an emergency case.
Mityana Deputy Resident District Commissioner Prosy Mwanjuzi said she had learned about the incident and plans to visit the scene for more information. Mwanjuzi said she was following up with the relevant officials to handle the matter.
Torch Media Africa
