CJ Owiny-Dollo, Otunu spearhead Shs2.5b annual drive to revamp education in Acholi

The Acholi Sub-region is rallying around a transformative vision for education…. 
Leaders, under the banner of the “Dero Kwan” initiative, loosely translated as “Education Granary” in the Acholi language, have set an ambitious goal to raise Shs2.5 billion annually.

The fund will offer scholarships to the region's most vulnerable children, aiming to reverse decades of educational stagnation caused by over two decades of the Lord’s Resistance Army, LRA Insurgency, neglect and insufficient funding.

Leaders from diverse professions and diaspora members have joined hands under the umbrella of Roco Paco, a movement dedicated to rebuilding the Acholi community. 
Co-chaired by Uganda's Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo and former Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) president, Olara Otunu, the initiative embodies a people-centered approach to transformation.

Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo recalls a time when education in Acholi thrived.
“We want to revive education such that a pupil in Patongo can, on merit, join King’s College, like I did,” he said during a press briefing at his residence in Nakasero, Kampala on December 2.

According to him, Acholi is at the bottom of the education ladder with one of the highest education dropouts. 

“We challenged the Gulu University VC recently on how many Acholi students are in the medical school? When he told us, we shed tears. We must rebuild education to restore dignity and opportunity for the Acholi people,” Justice Owiny-Dollo said.

Historical challenges
The Acholi Sub-region, comprising the districts of Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum, Nwoya, Lamwo, Pader, and Omoro, bears scars from over two decades of conflict with the guns falling silent in 2005. 
The Lord's Resistance Army insurgency displaced thousands into camps, decimating livelihoods and eroding infrastructure, including schools. Families emerging from this turmoil found themselves ill-equipped to pursue education or rebuild sustainable communities.

Today, the numbers of the educated or those seeking formal education paint a grim picture. According to UNICEF’s 2020 report, secondary school net enrollment in Acholi stands at a meager 7 percent, a stark contrast to Kampala’s 54 percent. The legacy of these disparities has fostered high dropout rates and diminished access to quality education.

To revive the education through community effort, the “Dero Kwan” initiative proposes a grassroots approach, calling on every Acholi individual, both local and in the diaspora, to contribute Shs1, 000 annually.

Ms Filda Lanyero Ojok, a retired senior lecturer at Kyambogo University and in charge education in the Dero Kwan initiative said community members from each clan will contribute the Shs1, 000 towards to fund to support children whose parents or guardians cannot afford school fees but are bright and willing to further their education. 
Collectively, this will raise the necessary funds to support scholarships from primary through tertiary education.

Ms Okot added that the selection criteria for the sponsorship will focus on good reports from the school where they are studying, the children must also have good conduct and show willingness to study.

“We have parents who are able but not willing. We want to zero on children whose parents are willing but are struggling and the school knows that the parent is interested in the future of the child. Learners will only be sponsored in schools in the sub-region.”

Leaders envision a pilot program by 2025, sponsoring 60 students in Senior One from across the region. The program prioritizes academic excellence, good conduct, and family commitment to education. Beneficiaries will attend schools within the sub-region to strengthen local institutions and retain cultural pride.

Ambassador Olara Otunu described the region's plight as “a societal collapse.” However, he sees hope in self-reliance.

“Transformation begins with us. As the wounded, we must take the first steps, then others can join to support,” Ambassador Olara said.

Beyond scholarships
"Dero Kwan" extends beyond just paying fees. The initiative seeks to enhance teacher welfare by supplementing their government salaries, ensuring they remain focused on delivering quality education. For instance, an additional Shs800, 000 monthly is proposed for teachers, a strategy to improve performance and classroom outcomes.

The effort also includes diversifying agricultural activities. With land available, parents are encouraged to transition from low-income crops like cotton to higher-yield options like coffee, ensuring sustainable income to fund their children’s education should they not fit within the scholarship selection criteria.

Ambassador Olara said the broader vision of Roco Paco is to restore Acholi’s values and identity while fostering economic and cultural resurgence. Other areas of focus within the vision include creating ordinances to enforce school attendance and engaging clan leaders to reinforce a collective sense of responsibility.

“When I studied at Patongo, over 40 of us out of a class of 60 pupils would pass with first grades,” Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo reminisced. “At least 35 pupils would pass the national exams in grade one but now they celebrate if three pupils pass in grade one. This is the reality we must change.”

He said whereas the initiative faces dissenting voices and challenges, the patience and community resolve is paramount even as leaders head for the next gathering “Gure me Pondwongo” at Restore Leadership High School in Gulu in December 2024, where strategies to scale the initiative will be refined.

“This is God’s assignment,” Owiny-Dollo said adding that “it is not political but a mission to pull our people from the abyss. We must act now to secure a better future for Acholi’s children.”
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