Our reporter

The growing demand for education services in Mbale city has put more pressure on the few government schools without matching facilities.

Schools like Nkoma SS, Mbale SS, and Mbale High School have an average of 5000 students, accounting for 46% of the overall student population in the city.

Stakeholders are now appealing to the government to establish more schools to absorb the overflow and match the growing population.

Mbale city has a total enrolment of over 31,000 secondary school students distributed across 5 government schools and 29 private schools. 60% of these are in government schools while the 29 private schools share 40%.

Nkoma SS in particular is reported to have 6,539 students followed by 4,700 and 3,328 for Mbale SS and Mbale High school respectively, compared to 450 students for an average private school.

Ntege Ramadhan, Deputy HM Nkoma SS, says each stream has between 100-120 students.

James Danga, Deputy HM Mbale SS, says the school has six deputy head teachers each attached to a class for effective administration.

Mbale City Education Officer Lynace Nasimiyu attributes the high students numbers in government school to government’s withdrawal of Universal Secondary Education partnership from private schools, coupled with the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown and subsequent mass transfer of students from private schools to government schools.