Geoffrey Omolo, the Katakwi LC V Chairperson, explains that they have sought intervention from relevant authorities such as the ministries of public service, finance, and education, but progress has been limited. As a result, the district had to return to the treasury over UGX 800 million earmarked for salaries.
The districts tripled their first grades in the PLE results released on Friday. Katakwi district got 151 candidates in first grade compared to 61 in 2020, while Kapelebyong got 35 candidates in first grade, up from 10 in 2020.
The organisation has now taken the battle to schools, where learners are taught to avoid the vice which has taken root in almost all institutions across the country. Uganda was ranked 144 on a list of 180 corrupt countries, according to the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International.
John Bosco Okiror, the Inspector of Schools in Katakwi, says some teachers have retired on medical grounds while others left the district after transferring their services to other districts. He added that some teachers absconded from duty after being transferred to schools at the border with Karamoja.
On Monday, Katakwi Resident District Commissioner, Rtd. Maj. Geoffrey Katamba, the LC V Chairperson, Geoffrey Omolo, and the Police visited the school on a fact-finding mission. The RDC who chaired the meeting, says that they discovered administrative weaknesses like laxity in supervision, which expose the girls in the boarding section to sexual harassment.
The suspect, Romanos Okello is reported to have taken off on Thursday when he saw the parents of the girl, whose identity has been concealed because she is a minor, visiting the school. However, the headteacher says there is also a boyfriend in the mix.
Daniel Alileng, the District Inspector of Schools, says that less than 700 out of the 740 teachers including headteachers have reported back to school. He says that before the lockdown and subsequent closure of schools, they had 750 teachers but the number has kept dropping.
On average, about 480 girls are impregnated every month. Angiro says that this is a surprising and worrying trend for girl-child education, growth, and development. S
According to the report, Katakwi Town Council leads with 190 cases, followed by Magoro with 188, Usuk Sub County 177, Katakwi Sub County 137, Ongongoja Sub County with 115 cases, Ngariam 89, Kapujan 87 and Omodoi 100 while Palam Sub County registered the least number with eleven cases.
James Stephen Engole, the head teacher of the school told our reporter that much as they had done all the necessary preparations to receive students, they had no idea of what happened to the candidates on the first day.
Seraphine Alia, the Chief Administrative Officer Katakwi says that the decision to relocate the centres was taken after observing that a number of roads leading to the schools had been cut off by floods, making them inaccessible.
Seraphine Alia, the Chief Administrative Officer Katakwi says that the debts had accumulated as a result of non-payment of suppliers of most food items, stationery and purchase of the school bus among others.
The school headteacher Paul Omuut said that the student had health complications which could have triggered the reaction after the punishment, of three strokes, administered by the teacher. He said that the school was engaging the deceased’s parents on the matter.
The angry parents have threatened to withdraw all their children from the school if the head teacher, his deputy Andrew Ariko and Robert Ekau the school bursar are not transferred.
A section of the LCIII Chairpersons in Katakwi district and some members of the community say that only schools within the town council have had senior, experienced and multi-skilled teachers, while those in rural areas get drunken and inexperienced staff.
Walter Elakas Ekiring, the Katakwi LCV chairperson, says the district had planned to build two classroom blocks in Angisa parish but was advised to stay the decision until the dispute is resolved.
18-year-old Peter Odeke accuses Elietu of tearing his commerce answer sheet during the just concluded Ordinary Certificate level examinations on grounds that he entered the examinations room 15 minutes late.
Ongwali says that they also received reports that three candidates failed to show up for examinations because they were ill, while another pupil died before the examinations.
