GOMBA — Parents and pupils at Kanoni UMEA Primary School in Gomba District have called for an urgent investigation into the school’s administration and teaching staff following a chaotic reopening of schools for the third term on Monday, September 14, 2026.
The concerns emerged as schools across the country officially reopened for the third term, with parents expected to have prepared their children to resume lessons. However, attendance at several government schools in Gomba District appeared low, particularly at primary and secondary levels.
At Kanoni UMEA Primary School in Kanoni Town Council, only a small number of pupils had reported by midday. A visit to the school found several pupils sitting outside classrooms because the buildings were still locked.
Parents who had brought their children to school were forced to remain at the premises as they waited for teachers to arrive, with some expressing concern about leaving their children unattended.
According to parents at the school, by about 8:30 a.m., neither the teachers nor the headteacher had reported for duty.
The situation angered some parents, who accused the school administration of neglecting its responsibilities and failing to provide an appropriate learning environment for pupils.
Several parents, who requested anonymity for fear of possible repercussions against their children, said they had repeatedly raised concerns about the school’s leadership but had not seen any meaningful action taken.
“We have nothing we can do. The headteacher has been giving us a hard time. We do not know who to contact so that she can be transferred and we get another headteacher who can listen to our concerns,” the parents said.
The parents identified the headteacher as Mariam Musenze and alleged that they had previously complained about her leadership to local authorities without receiving a satisfactory response.
One parent further alleged that Musenze is married to Gomba District Education Officer Godfrey Kalyango, a relationship the parent claimed could be contributing to the failure to act on their complaints.
“We have complained to our leaders and asked them to forward our concerns to the relevant authorities, but nothing has been done. We believe her relationship with the DEO is one of the reasons no action has been taken,” the parents said.
The parents also questioned why teachers had not reported for duty on the first day of the new term, despite the Ministry of Education and Sports setting September 14 as the official reopening date.
“They told us to prepare our children and brought them here. But there is not even a teacher. We have many things to do, but we have to stay here and wait for the teachers. We cannot leave our children outside when the classrooms are locked,” the parents said.
They expressed concern that some of them had travelled from distant areas and had farms and other responsibilities to attend to, but could not leave their children at the school while the classrooms remained locked.
“What if it rains? Some of us have farms far from here. We do not know what time the teachers will come or when we shall be able to leave and return to our work,” they added.
The parents called for immediate intervention by the Ministry of Education and other relevant authorities, arguing that the school’s performance and administration needed to be investigated.
They also called for the headteacher and teachers to be investigated and, where necessary, transferred and replaced.
“The school is performing badly. The headteacher and teachers should be investigated and, if necessary, transferred, and others brought in because it appears they are not interested in teaching. It is already 8:30 a.m. and there are no teachers. We ask the government to intervene,” the parents said.
DEO’s Arrest
The allegations come amid reports that Gomba District Education Officer Godfrey Kalyango is among district officials who have been arrested over alleged misconduct following investigations reportedly involving State House and the Internal Security Organisation (ISO).
The circumstances surrounding the reported arrest, however, are separate from the parents’ allegations concerning Kanoni UMEA Primary School.
Efforts to reach Kalyango for comment on the allegations against the school administration were unsuccessful.
By the time reporters left the school at about 9:00 a.m., the administration block and several classrooms were still reportedly locked.
The parents are now calling on education authorities to visit the school, establish what happened on the first day of the new term and take appropriate action if any wrongdoing is found.
