By Derrick Akampurira
A simmering discontent on Monday boiled over this week at Kisoro Technical Institute, where students staged a peaceful protest, shining a spotlight on what they describe as deep-rooted administrative, poor diet and deteriorating conditions.
The learners declined to eat the meals served, citing poor quality beans and posho as symbols of what they believe is a broader pattern of neglect.
Their protest, they say, is not just about food but about the dignity.
The institute, located in Nyakabande Sub-county, Kisoro District, currently enrolls only 61 students.
Once regarded as a promising government-aided technical institution in the Kigezi sub-region it now risks further decline if conditions remain unaddressed.
A significant number of its learners come from vulnerable families, including orphans, who argue that hardship outside school should not be compounded within it.
Students raised concerns over deteriorating sanitation facilities, overcrowded hostels, insufficient bedding, and limited practical training sessions despite the institution’s technical focus.
They also allege irregular teaching schedules, claiming that some subjects, including mathematics, lack structured timetables and that certain instructors fail to complete required teaching hours.
Guild President Gilbert Irimaso said students have repeatedly sought dialogue but feel their concerns are diluted before reaching district authorities.
He has called for a Parents and Teachers Association meeting to bridge what he described as a widening gap between management reports and students’ lived experiences.
However, responding to the unrest, Principal Alfred Nayebare acknowledged receiving complaints and urged learners to use established administrative channels when raising grievances.
He committed to reviewing food quality and addressing other concerns through official procedures.
The incident underscores ongoing structural challenges facing technical institutions across Uganda, where limited funding, administrative inefficiencies, and oversight gaps often intersect, directly shaping student welfare and academic performance.
