The school deputy headteacher in charge of academics, Peter Ndagiire, reasons that the current economic crisis coupled with a poor harvesting season has forced many parents to withdraw their children from private schools because they could not afford school fees and other mandatory requirements.
Learners, across the country, are returning to school this week after 22 months of shutdowns which were effected as one of the measures to control the spread of COVID-19. Although some learners were studying online during the time, many others, especially in rural areas have not had any interaction with a teacher since the closure in March 2020.
The schools in the sub-county are operating under unfavourable conditions, which have affected learning. The situation is worse in government primary schools, many of which he says are operating in dilapidated structures.
Lydia Nyakato, the head teacher Kahendero primary school in Kahedero, says that some of the learners in her school have taken on Boda bod riding while about three girls were taken to Kampala as house helps.
The Chief Administrative Officer-CAO Kasese, Amis Asuman Masereka says 10,152 pupils registered to sit for Primary Leaving Examination-PLE this year but 482 did not report back when candidate classes re-opened in November.
Zenar Nasur, the Luweero District Education Secretary, says most of the teenagers were lured into sex after being left alone at home by their parents. She explains that most of the affected girls live with their grandparents and guardians who exercise little control over them, which gives them leeway to engage in irresponsible sexual behavior with their peers or male adults.
Parliament has passed a resolution urging government to meet the cost of examination registration for all candidate classes for this year due to the impact of COVID-19.
A number of schools and institutions in Ddwaniro, Lwanda, Kagamba and Kacheera Sub-counties now hoist the Uganda and Kooki flags and sing both the national and Kooki anthems at their assemblies and special events.
