Kaddugala Seed School Seeks Urgent Government Funding Amid Rising Enrolment Pressure in Masaka

Masaka City: Kaddugala Secondary School in Masaka City has made an urgent appeal to government, calling for increased funding to address mounting infrastructure and staffing challenges as it pushes to become a model Universal Secondary Education (USE) school in the Greater Masaka region.

The appeal, led by Head Teacher Yahaya Ssengabi, comes at a time when the school is experiencing rapid growth in enrolment, now standing at 1,362 students—more than double the 600 learners recorded in 2022. Of these, over 300 are in Senior One alone, a surge that is already stretching the school’s limited facilities to the brink. During a recent visit, some students were found attending lessons under trees due to a shortage of classrooms, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

Ssengabi says the school’s expansion has not been matched by corresponding investment in infrastructure, leaving critical gaps that threaten both learning outcomes and student safety. Among the most pressing needs are the construction of teachers’ quarters, fencing the school with a secure perimeter wall, equipping science laboratories, and increasing classroom furniture such as chairs and desks. The lack of fencing, he warns, exposes the school to theft and potential arson attacks—risks that have affected other institutions in the region.

Despite repeated efforts since 2022 to secure funding, including multiple letters to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Ssengabi says the school has yet to receive a response. The administration is now widening its appeal to include political leaders and other stakeholders to intervene and prioritize the school’s needs.

Staffing remains another major concern. While the school has a total of 56 teachers, only 28 are government employees, and just 21 are fully government-paid staff currently active. This has left gaps in key subjects such as Agriculture. Deputy Head Teacher Hajjat Sauda Nakiyemba notes that the shortage is directly affecting curriculum delivery, with some subjects going untaught due to lack of qualified personnel.

Kaddugala Secondary School, founded in 1984, has previously benefited from government support estimated at Shs1.5 billion, which facilitated the construction of classrooms, a library, and laboratory facilities. However, administrators say much of the planned expansion remains incomplete, including the establishment of a fully equipped computer laboratory and additional learning spaces needed to match current enrolment levels.

Beyond infrastructure, the school continues to grapple with unreliable electricity and water shortages, which disrupt learning, particularly for boarding students who depend on night study programs. Teachers, too, are affected by the lack of proper accommodation, a factor that impacts their availability and effectiveness.

Even with these challenges, the school remains one of the more affordable options in the region, charging approximately Shs450,000 for boarding and about Shs1,700 per day for lunch. According to the administration, these fees are too low to sustain operations in the face of rising costs, placing additional strain on already limited resources.

School leaders also pointed to an unfulfilled pledge of Shs2.5 billion reportedly made during the January 2026 presidential campaign period by Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among to support infrastructure development at the school. Months later, the funds have yet to be disbursed, further complicating the school’s expansion plans.

Despite the hurdles, Kaddugala Secondary School continues to build a reputation as an emerging academic hub in the region, particularly in Arts, English, Kiswahili, and entrepreneurship education—subjects that administrators say are increasingly relevant in today’s economic environment. The school draws students from across Greater Masaka, including Gomba, Ssembabule, Bukomansimbi, Mbarara, and Masaka City itself, serving both day and boarding sections.

In a renewed push for support, the school has submitted a fresh funding request of Shs2.4 billion to government through the relevant ministries. The proposed funding would go toward constructing additional classrooms, teachers’ houses, a perimeter wall, staff sanitation facilities, and a school kitchen.

For Ssengabi and his team, the vision is clear: transform Kaddugala into a model school that delivers quality education to learners from all backgrounds. But without urgent government intervention, that ambition risks remaining out of reach.

“Our goal is to make Kaddugala a model school in this region,” he said. “But without the necessary funding and support, it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain the progress we have made.”

For now, the school stands as both a symbol of progress and a reminder of the growing pains facing Uganda’s education sector—where rising demand continues to outpace available resources.

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