KITGUM PUPILS STUDY UNDER TREES

By Christopher Nyeko

KITGUM: Pupils of Bola primary school in Namokora sub-county, Kitgum district, are studying under trees after strong winds blew off iron sheets from their classrooms.

School authorities say pupils have been studying under trees for the past two months adding that the situation has led to a low turn-up of pupils, mostly in lower classes whose classroom blocks have been affected.

Bola primary school has a total of 600 pupils. Primary one has 153 pupils while meanwhile P.2 has 109 pupils.

Ben Omony, the head teacher of Bola Primary School, told ugreports that the turn-up has dropped from 153 pupils to between 75 and 85 as for P 2, the number reduced from 109 to between from 50 to 60.

Omony noted that the nine classroom blocks at the school are dilapidated since their construction by Kitgum district local government in 2000. He added that many pupils are missing classes since the condition of the classroom blocks is worrying.

“Parents are revealing to us that their children are informing them that they are experiencing scorching sun shine from school” Omony revealed.

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Bajil Olara, a classroom teacher who teaches both lower and upper primary, said that sometimes lessons are disrupted by rains adding pupils are forced to look for shade in other classrooms.

Olara added that pupils often find it hard to concentrate in class since it becomes hard for pupils to write with ease because their books are stained by mud and dust.

The school authorities however requested the well-wishers to support the school with tents for temporary assistance as they wait for support from the Kitgum district local government.

When approached, Fred Owot, the Kitgum District Education Office confirmed the issue but declined to comment on the matter.

However Charles Oryem olweny area councillor five representing Namokora Sub County and member of health and education committee blames the District leadership for paying a deaf ear on Bola primary school.

The Kitgum district recently passed 22 million shillings to renovate the classroom blocks at Bola primary school but the funds were switched to Aparo hilltop primary school in Kitgum Matidi Sub County, which councillors described as unequal distribution of resources by the district executive.

Arwai Christopher Obol the LCV of Kitgum district local government urged the parents to remain calm, adding that the district has allocated 300 million shillings for the renovation of all the dilapidated Buildings in over 27 affected grant headed schools in Kitgum district.

William Komakech, the Kitgum resident district commission said his office is investigating how one hundred million shillings, which is part of the district development equalization grant (DDEG), meant for improving education, health and infrastructural development in the sub county was used.

The move, he said, is to ensure that there is proper utilization of funds to all schools.

Komakech has said that Namokora Sub County is among the beneficial sub counties which must account for the money.

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