Nebbi | A devastating hailstorm accompanied by heavy rains has left Abongo Primary School in Ajok village, Abong parish, Orussi sub-county, Nebbi, in ruins.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, March 7, 2025, destroyed a one-classroom block, including the office leaving the majority of the school’s 829 pupils without a place to continue their studies.
Eight pupils were injured during the incident, with three requiring urgent referral to a main hospital for further treatment.
Nebbi RDC Robert Abak confirmed the incident on Saturday in an interview. He stated that the disaster struck in the afternoon while pupils were attending their afternoon learning session.
The heavy rains and hailstorm ripped off the roof of the classroom block, causing significant damage within a short period.
“This unfortunate incident happened on Friday afternoon while pupils were in class for their afternoon studies. The roof of the five-classroom block was completely destroyed, and six pupils were injured in the process,” Abak said.
Zadok Anirwoth, the headteacher of Abongo Primary School, confirmed the incident and expressed concern over the disruption of learning. He revealed that the school, which has only 10 teachers, including himself, is now struggling to accommodate its pupils.
“At the moment, we have nowhere for our learners to continue their studies freely. The only classroom block we had was destroyed by the heavy winds and hailstorm,” Anirwoth said.
He added that out of the eight pupils admitted to Orussi Health Center, five were not in critical condition, but the remaining three required referral to a main hospital for specialized care. The injured pupils were reportedly hurt while resuming their afternoon studies when the disaster struck.
Abongo Primary School, which serves 829 learners, has been left with no functional classrooms. Anirwoth revealed that the school had only one long classroom block, which was completely destroyed by the storm.
As a temporary measure, the school plans to utilize staff quarters, the head teacher’s sitting room, and a nearby church to accommodate pupils starting Monday, March 10, 2025.
“We are doing everything possible to ensure that learning continues. Our pupils will be studying in the staff quarters, my sitting room, and a nearby church. However, this is not a sustainable solution,” Anirwoth emphasized.
The headteacher appealed to the Office of the Prime Minister and well-wishers to come to the school’s aid. “We are calling for urgent assistance from the Office of the Prime Minister and any well-wishers to help us rebuild our school and restore normal learning activities.”
The destruction of the classroom block has not only disrupted learning but also raised questions about the safety of school infrastructure during extreme weather conditions.
As the school and community await assistance, the plight of Abongo Primary School serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of educational institutions in the face of natural disasters.
Urgent intervention is needed to ensure that the pupils of Abongo Primary School can continue their education in a safe and conducive environment.
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