A routine inspection turned dramatic after Minister of Local Government Balaam Barugahara ordered the arrest of the headteacher of Naiku Primary School in Mbale District over allegations of corruption linked to inflated pupil enrolment figures.
The minister's directive followed a visit to the government-aided school, where officials found only 705 pupils present despite school records reportedly indicating an enrolment of 1,352 learners.
The discrepancy immediately raised concerns over the accuracy of the school's enrolment data, with authorities suspecting that the figures may have been deliberately inflated. Such practices can affect the allocation of Universal Primary Education (UPE) capitation grants and other government resources distributed according to learner numbers.
Barugahara described the findings as unacceptable and called for immediate action against those responsible. He directed security agencies to arrest the headteacher as investigations into the school's records and management continue.
The incident comes amid increased government efforts to crack down on corruption and strengthen accountability in local governments. The Ministry of Local Government has repeatedly emphasized tougher oversight of public institutions, particularly in sectors where public funds are allocated based on reported beneficiary numbers.
The allegations at Naiku Primary School also echo concerns highlighted in previous Auditor General reports, which have identified cases where reported enrolment figures differed significantly from actual headcounts in some government schools, creating a risk of excessive capitation funding.
Investigations into the Naiku Primary School case are expected to establish whether the enrolment discrepancy resulted from absenteeism, administrative errors, or deliberate falsification of records. Authorities are also expected to examine whether any public funds were improperly obtained through the reported figures.
The case adds to the government's wider anti-corruption campaign targeting misuse of public resources and reinforcing accountability across local government institutions.