Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi has raised concerns over alleged irregularities in pupil enrollment at Naiku Primary School in Mbale District, warning that fraudulent figures could be costing the government millions of shillings in capitation grants.
According to the minister, a recent inspection at the school revealed a significant difference between the number of pupils recorded for government funding and those physically present.
Balaam said the government is releasing funds based on an enrollment of 1,352 pupils, but a physical headcount he conducted found 705 pupils at the school.
He estimated that the difference could result in the government losing approximately UGX 14.1 million per school term at the school alone through inflated enrollment figures.
“Government is releasing funds based on an enrollment of 1,352 pupils, yet during my visit, I personally conducted a physical headcount and found only 705 pupils present. This discrepancy suggests that Government could be losing approximately UGX 14,098,648 through fraudulent enrollment figures in just one primary school per term,” Balaam said.
The minister questioned whether similar practices could be occurring in other government schools across Mbale District and called on district officials to account for the discrepancy.
He specifically challenged the District Education Officer (DEO), school inspectors, the District Human Resource Office and local leaders to fulfill their oversight responsibilities and safeguard public resources.
“Where is the District Education Officer (DEO), the School Inspectors, the District Human Resource Office, and the local leadership? Every responsible office must carry out its mandate to protect public resources and ensure accountability,” he said.
Balaam described corruption as a collective challenge, arguing that resources lost through fraudulent practices directly affect children’s education and community development.
“Every shilling lost to corruption is a shilling taken away from our children’s education and our communities’ development. We must expose the corrupt, recover public funds, and restore integrity in local government.”
The allegations have not yet been independently verified, and the relevant district education authorities had not publicly responded at the time of publication.