Poor state of govt school worries leaders, parents

Local leaders and residents of Lyolwa Town Council in Tororo District have raised concern over the poor state of Akipenet Primary School, the only government-aided facility in the area.

The school, which has an enrolment of 300 pupils, was commissioned to operate in 2019. It is among the 38 community primary schools in the district that were taken over by the government.

However, the community school lacks permanent classroom blocks, forcing learners to study under trees.

Leaders say this has since forced some of the children to drop out.

Mr Joel Olowo, the councillor representing Pabone Ward, says when the government took over the school, they thought its state of infrastructure would be revamped to support quality education.

“It took us time to have this school here and on hearing that the government had taken over, we felt we had been relieved,” he says.

“However with its current status, we feel the government has almost done nothing and it is our prayer that the government acts first,” Mr Olowo adds.

Ms Regina Nancha, a parent, says they attempted to construct a two-classroom block, but it stalled at beam level due to lack of funds.

The area LCIII chairperson, Mr Nicholas Onyango, says he has written to the office of the district education officer to replace the dilapidated ones because one day they might collapse on the learners.

Mr Obeyo Donato, the chairperson of the school management committee, says the community has since donated to them five acres of land meant to host the school premises, but they are currently incapacitated to raise the amount of money meant to start construction.

“We may have the ability to mobilise resources from well-wishers but they also fear that we may be misunderstood to be undermining the serving government because this is a public school,” he says. The school head teacher, Mr Yona Odoi, says unlike in other schools, Akipenet Primary School had registered high enrolment. 

“The parents have been bringing their children but because of limited classrooms, we have been forced to turn them away and advise them to take them to other schools,” he adds.

The head teacher says most times whenever the weather changes, they are forced to send the children back home because the structures are not safe.

“Even if it stops raining, they cannot afford to return because the classes become wet, well aware that they sit on the floor,” he says.

Mr Denis Francis Tabu, the district inspector of schools, says all is being done to support the school, including posting there a substantive headteacher and seven teachers.

“However, construction of classrooms may not be possible this financial year because the coding was done after the budgeting process had been completed,” he says, adding teachers and pupils have to bear the situation until the next financial year.

"We appreciate the concern raised by the leaders and locals but they should also understand that local governments operate budgets, which cannot easily be altered,” he says.