The impending takeover of part of Masaka secondary school by the Aga Khan Foundation is causing anxiety among the school administrators, students and parents. The unease arises out of the fear to lose tangible properties at the site which the school has occupied since 1969 and the uncertainty on the projects that could be set up in the school neighborhood after the repossession. Hajji Ahmed Mukiibi, the school head teacher-in-charge of administration explains that as the Agha Khan Foundation gets closer to the repossession timeline set, the still grieves for its sporting grounds, dormitories and a sick-bay, which the administration would wish to preserve.Founded in 1954 as Masaka Public Secondary School, the facility was renamed Aga Khan Masaka Secondary School in 1969, following a joint venture between government and the Aga-khan Foundation. Subsequently, the facility occupied an additional six acres of Agha Khan owned premises in Kimaanya-Kyabakuza division before the foundation withdrew its direct management and left it to government.However, in 2008, the investor declared intention to repossess the property causing a lot of panic within the student population and the school administration. To avert a crisis at the time, government pleaded with Aga Khan to continue accommodating the school as tenants for a period of 9 years. According to government, this would give them ample time to build their own structures in the neighborhood. Government also secured a loan of 5 billion from the African Development Bank to facilitate the construction of new structures at alternative premises.But the school administrators still insist that they own properties that they wouldnt wish to lose at the Agha-Khan site.Hajat Aisa Male, the school head teacher in charge of campus and students says that they dont intend to deny the investor his land but they are concerned that because this is prime land, he may set up a project that may compromise the learning environment of the students.Hajat Male is now demanding that government considers paying off the investor or allocate him alternative land to preserve all the properties for the schools continued full utilization.According to Bbaale David, one of the schools old students, government has no justification for not paying off the investor in preference of the continuity of the school. He adds that much as the school has acquired new structures, it still needs land for its expansion due to the high public demand. The school with a population of 36,000 students will remain with at least 26 acres of Land after the takeover.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 07:03:11 +0000
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