Soroti SS contemplates using tents as student enrollment hits 4500
Students in one of the classrooms at Soroti SS. Photo | Suzan Nanjala
What you need to know:
- Mr Vincent Enumu, the PTA chairperson told the head teacher to continue admitting students because it is the only moderate school any parent can afford
Authorities at Soroti SSS in eastern Uganda are contemplating using tents as classrooms due to the surging number of students.
The head teacher, Mr Alfred Oluka Okeriau says that they are currently struggling with surging numbers of students at the school, highlighting the urgent need for classrooms.
“Following the recent good performance of both O' level and A ‘level students, there has been an influx of students. We cannot send them away because this is a school that can accommodate even the poor," he said in an interview with the Monitor over the weekend.
Mr Okeriau added that they have written to the Ministry of Education requesting that more classrooms be put in place, but are yet to receive any response.
“We need at least eight classrooms now to accommodate the students, lest we shall put them in tents as we wait for the government to respond," he said.
He said the total number of students has grown to 4,593 this year from 3000 last year.
Mr Vincent Enumu, the chairperson Parents Teachers Association, told this reporter that they intend to hold a crisis meeting on how to help the head teacher handle the issue of surging numbers.
He also confirmed that they told the head teacher to continue admitting students because it is the only moderate school any parent can afford.
However, Mr Patrick Emokor, the Soroti District Principal Education Officer advised the school administration to stop admitting more students saying it is the only way they can curb this problem.
“It is common sense that once you are satisfied, you do not continue eating, likewise Soroti SS should know their limit," he said.
