7 Luwero District Headteachers under fire for mismanaging UGX 30M UPE Funds

7 primary school headteachers in Luwero district are in trouble after they were accused of mismanaging funds amounting to 30 million Shillings under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) program.

The funds were allocated by the government in the 2020/21 financial year for the purchase of scholastic materials, emergency expenditures, co-curricular activities, administration, and school management.

However, concerns have been raised regarding the accountability of these funds. At Bembe Hill Primary School, 4.8 million Shillings remain unaccounted for, while at Kikube Roman Catholic Primary School, 5.5 million Shillings cannot be tracked.

Similarly, the headteacher of St Bruno Kalagala Primary School failed to account for 4.3 million Shillings, and Ndagga St Mary’s Primary School is unable to explain the whereabouts of four million Shillings.

Additionally, 5.2 million Shillings remain unaccounted for at Kibengo Roman Catholic Primary School, and the headteacher of Nsaasi UMEA Primary School retired without accounting for three million Shillings. Lastly, the headteacher of Nandere Primary School failed to account for 4.5 million Shillings.

Erukana Wamala Kyoole, the Chairperson of Luwero District Public Accounts Committee, says that the headteachers were required to provide an account of 30,689,132 Shillings before the District Internal Auditor.

Despite numerous summons to appear before the District Public Accounts Committee and clarify the expenses, the headteachers have remained non-compliant.

Wamala says that the failure of the headteachers to appear before the committee suggests a lack of accountability and implies mismanagement of the funds.

The committee has recommended to the District Council and the Chief Administrative Officer to pursue the recovery of the funds from the accused headteachers.

Luwero District Chairman, Erastus Kibirango, says that in addition to recovering the mismanaged funds, the headteachers will be required to face disciplinary action before the Rewards and Sanctions Committee, as recommended by the district council.

Innocent Asaba, the Luwero District Chief Administrative Officer, says that he is awaiting the reports from the Public Accounts Committee and the district council in order to take appropriate action against those involved.