Teacher Shortage Hits Pader District

Pader District Education Department is facing a shortage of primary school teachers.

The District with 117 primary schools and a population of over 45,000 learners have only 831 teachers with each school having an average of four to seven teachers.

Several of the teachers have raised the concern of the under-staffing in schools which they say has not been addressed for a long.

Charles Opwonya, the headteacher Laguti Primary School says that the school has over 800 pupils, but only seven teachers, which has retarded the performance of schools in the District and appeal for an urgent recruitment of teachers.

At Lajeng Primary School, there are over 600 pupils, with four classroom teachers.  Rosemary Anena, the headteacher of the school says the school has often failed to complete the syllabus in most classes due to the limited number of teachers.

At Lawiyadul Primary School in Atanga Sub County, Grace Aceng, the headteacher says the school with over 750 pupils only has 8 teachers, five of whom were paid by the parents who did report back to school.

“We could not raise money to pay them and now the situation is likely to worsen if schools remain closed” Aceng added.  

The Laguti Sub County Chairman Robert Okumu however urged the District to put priority on the educational sector to address the gaps of staffing level in schools.

//Cue in…” they are understaffed.

Cue out…” the primary school…”

David Komakech Lam, the Pader District Secretary of Education revealed that the District has earmarked 2 Billion Shillings in the next financial year for the recruitment of 350 teachers.

However, the District has seen a decline in performances of schools in the number of candidates passing the Primary Leaving Examination with the first division dropping from 150 in 2018 to only 23 in 2019. 

Joyce Bongomin, the Pader District Education Officer says the recruitment is expected to begin in July.

Joyce Atime, a mother of 5 children from Larego village in Ajan Sub County noted that some parents have contracted private teachers to teach their children which most families cannot afford.

Christine Acayo, a 46-year-old mother from Lawiyadul village in Atanga Sub County has however noted that many of the parents may not afford school fees even when the schools are opened again.

Brenda Apiyo, a P.6 pupil at Ongom Primary School in Anga-Gura Sub County have asked the government to intensify home-based learning.