Education Ministry closes Masindi Academy Secondary School
A former student of the school who completed senior Six last year said he has camped at the school for a month now waiting for his results but he was yet to receive them from the directors.
Masindi: The Ministry of Education and Sports has ordered the immediate closure of Masindi Academy Secondary School in Masindi Municipality after an inspection uncovered serious cases of mismanagement and violations of education standards.
The decision followed a joint inspection conducted on Friday by officials from Masindi Municipality and the Ministry of Education and Sports.
Masindi Municipal Principal Education Officer Sam Peter Ayebale said inspectors discovered that the school had failed to register its 36 Senior Four candidates for the 2026 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations, contrary to Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) requirements.
The inspection also found that only three teachers were on duty, with the Director of Studies acting as head teacher in the absence of the school’s administration. Inspectors further established that the boarding section was operating illegally without caretakers, sanitation facilities were in poor condition with overflowing latrines, the kitchen had no food prepared, and food stores were empty.
“Under the powers granted by the Education Act, 2008, the school has been closed with immediate effect for Senior One to Senior Three learners. Senior Four candidates have been allowed one week to complete UNEB registration before they are transferred or alternative arrangements are made,” Ayebale said.
Francis Kyamanywa, Senior Inspector of Schools in the Directorate of Education Standards and Albertine North Focal Point Officer, described the school’s management as grossly negligent.
“The inspection established widespread mismanagement, including failure to register candidates, poor learner welfare, lack of accountability and failure to pay teachers despite the absence of financial records. The ministry has a duty to protect the rights and welfare of learners,” Kyamanywa said.
He warned that the school’s management could face legal action if the identified shortcomings are not addressed.
Some students expressed shock over the closure, saying they had not been aware of the extent of the school’s problems.
“The school administration has been giving us conflicting explanations. We appeal to the relevant authorities to intervene because our future is at stake,” one of the affected students said.
Sean Paul Okot, a former student of the school who completed senior Six last year said he has camped at the school for a month now waiting for his results but he was yet to receive them from the directors.
Efforts to get a comment from the school resident Director Abdu Musa on the matter were futile as he could not answer our calls at the time of filing this story.
The school had a total of 103 students at the time of closure. On Tuesday, 38 senior four candidates stormed the office of Masindi Resident District Commissioner seeking his intervention accusing the school director of failing to register them with UNEB for their final examinations.
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