Busia, Uganda | URN | The management of Wagagai gold mining company has re-commissioned the government aided Alupe Primary school that was closed due to its mining activities in Busia district.
Alupe Primary School started in 1997 as a community school under the Anglican Church Foundation, in Alupe village in Buteba sub-county, it became government aided school in 2003 and at the time of its closure, and it had an enrollment of over 600 pupils.
It was closed after the classrooms developed cracks on the walls, with too much noise caused by gold mining machines and Wagagai had fenced off the whole premises denying pupils access to the school. Wagagai Gold Mining is one of the largest mining gold companies in East and Central Africa that produces around 1,000 tons of gold annually.It occupies four villages of Alupe, Agoriat, Amagoro and Akipenet all in Buteba sub-county.
The company management guided by Busia district authority, managed to procure a piece of land in Alupe village far away from the mining site and constructed a new school structure, a church, installed water taps and fenced the whole premises, the whole project costs US Dollars 200,000.
Philip Ekisa, the Alupe village L.C.1 chairperson said today during the commissioning of the buildings that the closure of the school affected several children who dropped out from learning. A few parents shifted their children to neighboring schools and others to Kenya. They had lost hope of getting a primary school in the village.
Robert Wandera, the chairperson Alupe Primary school management committee aid that the situation started worsening in 2018 when there was bad smell, much noise, cracks that left them in fear because lives of learners was in danger. They have been pestering the Wagagai management to re-establish for them school in the area.
Adam Wang, the Public Relations Manager of Wagagai gold mining company said that they re-established the school following the public demand and need to have a continuous relationship between the company and the community they are operating in.
Bishop Samuel Bogere Egesa of Bukedi Diocese who was chief guest, appealed to parents in the gold mining area to take their children to school and ensure that they give them food in school. He urged youths to work hard so that they desist from seeking white color jobs that have left most unemployed.
Muhammad Kayira, the Busia district principal assistant secretary said that the school is going to begin officially next academic year. He asked parents to desist allowing their children to continue in the gold mining activities so that they can get back to school.
John Charles Namayindi, the Busia district L.C.V chairman, urged the school head teacher and the management to put the school structures in proper use and work hard to produce good results.
