Security recovers desks stolen from govt school  

The Apac District security committee has recovered most desks that were stolen from Odokomac Primary School in Apac Municipality three days ago.
The Apac Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Emma Ngabirano, was alerted after 31 desks went missing on Monday.
Mr Ngabirano told Daily Monitor yesterday that after lengthy investigations, all the 31 desks were recovered from Mother Anna Nursery and Primary School, a private school located in Agulu Division in Apac Municipality.
However, the managers of Mother Anna Nursery and Primary School allegedly told the RDC that they bought the desks from Odokomac Primary School head teacher at Shs100,000 per desk.  

Head teacher wanted
“I am looking for the head teacher [of Odokomac Primary School] [together] with the school management committee members. The rest will be a court process for others to learn that stealing from the government is bad,” the RDC said. 
Mr Felix Adoko, the Apac Municipality deputy mayor, said they got a tip off from concerned parents that some desks belonging to the government school had been sold off.
“When I called the head teacher to come to my office, he refused. I then followed him up to school and he told me that they held a meeting with the school management committee members and resolved to sell off 30 desks,” he said.
The proceeds would then be used in rehabilitating a teacher’s house.

“However, when we went to the school where the desks were sold, we found 31 desks [stolen from Odokomac Primary School] already engraved and four others resembling the desks from Odokomac Primary School,” Mr Adoko said.
The Apac Town Clerk, Mr Stanislaus Mangasa, told this newspaper that the matter had not been reported to police since it was being handled “administratively”.
Mr Geoffrey Odongo Olyec, a councillor at Apac Municipal Council, said some heads of department in the council were trying to cover up the matter.
“We have recovered the 31 desks, yes, but some action must be taken against the head teacher [of Odokomac Primary School],” he said.
Ms Lydia Omongo, the director of Mother Anna Nursery and Primary School, confirmed the deal between her school and Odokomac Primary School.

“I wrote to the management of Odokomac Primary School seeking their support of desks to use for only one term and return after I have made mine but they told me to buy from them, and I sat with the management and we agreed. Payment was made and everything documented,” she said.
Rev Gilbert Opio, the chairperson of Odokomac School management committee, said when Ms Omongo made the request in January, they agreed to give her 30 desks.
“Although I did not attend the meeting convened to discuss her request, it was agreed that she should be given 30 desks at Shs100,000 each. We have desks in excess, which we have lobbied from partners and some of the desks have not been used for the last 10 years,” Rev Opio said. 
He said it was further agreed that the money raised from the sale of the desks be used to finance the roofing of a teacher’s house.

Our efforts to contact the Odokomac Primary School head teacher were futile by press time.
This newspaper established that in 2020, the Japanese Embassy donated Shs324 million to Odokomac Primary School under the Grants Assistance programme. 
The money was meant to finance the construction of two classroom blocks, two pit-latrine blocks and procure 164 desks to improve the learning environment. 
Today, the school with a population of more than 1,000 learners, has 180 desks. This means the desk: pupil ratio is 1:5.

Education in the north
Over the years, there has been a remarkable improvement in the education system in northern Uganda in general, despite several challenges.
However, the quality of education in some primary schools in Lango Sub-region, including Apac District, has dropped significantly, according to a Community Score Card administered by the Apac Anti-Corruption Coalition, a non-governmental organisation.

The study undertaken between July and September 2019, in 18 selected schools in Apac, Kole, Kwania, Oyam, Dokolo and Amolatar districts, revealed that some of the stressing challenges include automatic promotion of learners, parents’ negative attitude, teachers’ laxity and absenteeism, inadequate textbooks and desks, lack of parents’ involvement and participation in supporting the schools.
Others are non-completion of syllabus, lack of classrooms and sanitary facilities, and inadequate teachers.