education 22 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
EU Funds Shs3.2 Billion Infrastructure Boost for Yumbe Secondary School
A European Union-backed project has significantly improved classroom conditions and sanitation facilities at Yumbe Secondary School in northern Uganda, alleviating long-standing pressures on students and staff. The initiative provided new classrooms, desks, and improved sanitation infrastructure, addressing critical needs at the 40-year-old institution. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/eu-backed-project-eases-classroom-sanitation-pressure-at-yumbe-school-5605440
Yumbe Secondary School is experiencing a much-needed upgrade thanks to a Shs3.2 billion project funded by the European Union. The initiative, aimed at enhancing educational infrastructure in northern Uganda, has brought relief to the school’s students and faculty by addressing severe overcrowding in classrooms and inadequate sanitation facilities.
Previously, the school, established in 1978, struggled with a high student-to-classroom ratio, with up to 80 students crammed into a single room. Sanitation was also a major concern, with hundreds of boys sharing a single pit-latrine stance and an equally challenging situation for the girls. This not only led to discomfort but also wasted valuable study time as students had to wait for access to facilities.
The new infrastructure, commissioned on September 22, includes three new classrooms, modern water tanks, and solar power. Fifty-four three-seater desks were also provided, helping to reduce the classroom-learner ratio to 1:72, a significant improvement according to the head teacher, Sarah Afusa. The project also provided much-needed facilities like a changing room and an incinerator for sanitary pads, which were previously improvised.
This project is part of a larger European Union effort, implemented by Germany’s KfW development bank in partnership with the Ugandan government. The wider program targets 190 schools across 24 districts in the Acholi, Lango, and West Nile sub-regions. While this intervention has tackled critical sanitation and space issues at Yumbe Secondary, district officials note that water shortages remain a broader challenge in the region.
Officials emphasized the importance of such infrastructure in creating a safe and conducive learning environment, stating that it is as vital as teachers and textbooks for students’ educational success and their future opportunities.