As the new school term opens on Monday, teachers at Kitebi Secondary School in Lubaga Division are worried of the big student numbers that may show up at the school.
From a total of 250 students last year, the teachers expect the numbers to jump to 2000 with the introduction of the Universal Post O-level Education and Training—UPOLET program.
UPOLET starts this academic year and Kitebi is only school in Rubaga Division selected for the program.
Florence Tinkumanya, the school headmistress pointed out that they might face a problem of over enrollment saying they have been receiving inquiries from students wishing to enroll for UPOLET.
Kitebi is one of the 645 government aided schools that have been selected to kick start UPOLET in the country. The other schools on the program in Kampala are Kololo High School in Central Division and Luzira Secondary School in Makindye division.
Last year, Kitebi Secondary School had 250 candidates at O-level and only 50 of them managed to join A-level at the same school. Up to 200 others either drop out of school or join other schools.
According to Tinkumanya, only 55 students would afford to pay the 150,000 shillings as tuition fees while the previous year the school received only 50 students.
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In 2011, Kitebi had 210 candidates and are planning to take in about 300 students for the program including 200 in Arts and 100 for sciences. This is likely to push the student population to over 2000 learners.
Tinkumanya also says her school has received a World Bank grant to construct six classrooms, a library, a multipurpose science laboratory and two blocks of five stanza water born toilets.
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When asked whether the school would consider running a double shift program at A-level, Tinkumanya says that decision can only be taken by the Ministry of Education after an evaluation of the UPOLET program.
