The government is set to construct three new secondary schools in Lamwo district as part of efforts to improve access to secondary education and expand school infrastructure.

According to Justine Odong, a project manager with the Ministry of Education and Sports, the projects will benefit Lokung High School in Lokung sub-county, Palabek Anaka Secondary School in Palabek Gem sub-county and Padibe West Secondary School in Padibe West Sub-county,

Odong said the evaluation of contractors had been completed and the procurement process was nearing completion, paving the way for successful bidders to be approved and deployed to the respective sites.

He urged the Lamwo district technical team to expedite approval of the project designs to allow construction to begin without unnecessary delays.

Odong also called for greater involvement of the district engineering department and other stakeholders in reviewing the designs before final approval.

He said early identification and correction of technical issues would help prevent delays and costly modifications after contractors had mobilised to the sites.

“The engineering department should work together with the other stakeholders to help us refine the layout that we submitted to you,” Odong said.

He explained that the designs had already been reviewed by the World Bank, ministry officials and the consultant who prepared them, but said the district technical team could still identify areas requiring correction before approval.

Odong said the projects form part of the Government’s continued investment in education infrastructure in Lamwo and other parts of the country.

He added that Lamwo is also benefiting from the Uganda Skills Infrastructure Programme (USIF) and the Uganda Skills Development in Refugee and Hosting Communities (USDRH) programme.

Lamwo Resident District Commissioner William Komakech welcomed the investment, saying the projects would help address the need for additional learning facilities as the district’s population and demand for secondary education continue to grow.

Komakech thanked the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Government for including Lamwo among districts benefiting from education infrastructure programmes.

He urged district leaders, technical officers and communities to support implementation by ensuring that land and other local requirements are secured and that construction is closely monitored.

Lamwo district LC5 chairperson Oyet Sisto Ocen also commended the government and the Ministry of Education and Sports for the investment.

Oyet said additional secondary school infrastructure would improve access to education, particularly for children in communities where learners travel long distances to reach secondary schools.

He thanked the ministry for working with district leaders and recognised the district’s role in providing land and supporting Government projects.

Oyet called for continued investment in education infrastructure to enable more learners in Lamwo to access secondary education closer to their homes.

Odong also urged district leaders and Members of Parliament to continue lobbying for additional education projects, noting that Parliament plays an important role in determining areas that benefit from some Government programmes.

He thanked Lamwo district leadership for its cooperation with the ministry, particularly in providing land for education projects.

The new projects add to ongoing education infrastructure development in the district.

Construction of Palabek Kal Community Secondary School in Palabek Kal sub-county is already underway and is reportedly about 87 percent complete.

The projects are expected to increase the availability of classrooms and other school facilities as the government seeks to expand access to secondary education in Lamwo.