Vurra Secondary School in Arua is expanding its infrastructure to accommodate a growing number of students, with support from Equity Bank Uganda helping the school complete a new boys’ dormitory.
The government-aided school, which was founded by the Church in 1981, has been experiencing increased demand for places as more families seek secondary education for their children.
However, school authorities say limited public funding makes it difficult to finance major construction projects while also meeting the school’s daily operating costs.
To address the challenge, the school opened an account with Equity Bank Uganda in November 2024 and later obtained a Shs120 million credit facility to support the construction of a dormitory.
The financing contributed to the completion of a Shs280 million, 120-bed boys’ dormitory, which has increased the school’s accommodation capacity.
David Dima, the head teacher of Vurra Secondary School, said the partnership with the bank had enabled the school to move ahead with a project that would otherwise have put significant pressure on its operational budget.
“We opened an account with Equity in late 2024, around November, and by January, we were granted a savings facility of Shs120 million to put up the dormitory,” Dima said.
The completed dormitory can accommodate 120 students and has reduced pressure on the school’s existing accommodation facilities.
The school is now planning to construct a similar dormitory for girls as it seeks to provide accommodation for both male and female students.
Dima said the girls’ dormitory is expected to be completed by February 2027, ahead of the arrival of Senior Five students in March.
“The completed dormitory currently accommodates 120 students and has eased pressure on our existing facilities,” he said.
The expansion comes as the school expects its enrolment to rise to about 900 students next year. In the longer term, the school is targeting an enrolment of 1,200 learners.
Dima said the increase in student numbers was creating an urgent need for more classrooms and accommodation.
“Right now, we cannot admit more students than our current capacity, yet enrolment is increasing,” he said. “I want to ensure equal opportunities for both boys and girls.”
The school is also seeking additional land to support future expansion. Among the projects under consideration is the acquisition of a school bus, which school authorities believe would improve transportation and make the school more accessible to learners from surrounding communities.
The school is also considering ways of providing financial support to teachers and non-teaching staff who are not employed on the government payroll.
Equity Bank Uganda managing director Gift Shoko said financing could help schools undertake infrastructure projects without waiting until they had accumulated enough money from their normal operations.
Shoko said structured financing could allow institutions to begin construction and repay the financing over time, depending on the terms agreed with the bank.
“In terms of the structure you want, you don’t have to wait,” Shoko said. “It can be put up immediately so that work starts now, where you only start paying after the block is complete and operational.”
For Vurra Secondary School, the expansion is intended to increase its capacity while maintaining financial stability.
The school’s experience also illustrates how access to financing can help education institutions meet infrastructure needs as enrolment increases.
With plans for another dormitory, additional classrooms, more land and improved transport, the school hopes to create space for more learners while ensuring that both boys and girls have access to adequate accommodation.
The partnership with Equity Bank therefore forms part of the school’s broader effort to expand gradually and prepare for its long-term target of serving up to 1,200 students.
