Pader school goes nearly two years without English teacher
According to student leaders who spoke to New Vision, the last time learners were taught English was during the first term of the 2025 academic year.
An English teacher teaching children in a class. (File)
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Students at Puranga Secondary School in Puranga town council, Pader district, have reportedly gone nearly two years without English lessons, raising concerns about the quality of education and management at the government-aided institution.
According to student leaders who spoke to New Vision, the last time learners were taught English was during the first term of the 2025 academic year.
The situation arose after the school's only teacher of the English language, Andrew Ojok Lagony, was transferred, and no replacement has been posted since.
The school's challenges came to light on June 7, 2026, during an impromptu inspection by a team from the RDC Secretariat led by Lt Col (Rtd) Ambako Kibria, the senior presidential advisor on mobilisation attached to the RDC Secretariat.
The inspection painted a grim picture of neglect and poor management.
Upon arrival, the visiting team found no gateman at the school entrance, forcing Pader resident district commissioner (RDC) Moses Asimwe to step out of his vehicle and open the gate himself.
The access road leading to the school had also been severely eroded by running water, leaving a large gully at the entrance that had not been repaired.
Ambako said such conditions could discourage parents from enrolling their children at the school.
However, only 80 boarding students had reported back by the start of the second term.
Student leaders attributed the declining enrolment partly to the school's feeding policy, which requires each boarding student to provide 25 kilogrammes of beans and 30 kilogrammes of maize at the start of every term.
They said some families were struggling to meet the requirement because of poverty.
The school has also suspended its A-Level section because of low enrolment after failing to attract students to the programme.
Students further complained about poor time management in the provision of meals, an issue that previously triggered a strike in 2025.
While the school timetable schedules porridge at 11:00 am, learners said it is often served as late as midday.
Lunch, which should be served at 1:30 pm, was reportedly provided at 2:51 pm during the inspection visit.
Kenneth Obua, the dining hall prefect, revealed that the school had not provided firewood for cooking during the second term, forcing cooks to source their own fuel.
The inspection team also found that no teacher was on duty at the time of the visit.
When contacted, Pader district education officer Margaret Alanyo expressed surprise at the revelations, saying neither the head teacher nor the district inspector of schools had informed her office about the situation.
"My understanding is that the school has 14 teachers deployed there," she said.
Lt Col Ambako described the conditions at the school as a clear case of negligence.
"How do you expect these learners to pass their examinations?" he asked, criticising the school management committee, head teacher and education inspectorate for failing to fulfil their responsibilities.
He directed the RDC's office to take immediate action to address the situation and urged students to remain focused on their education.
"Stop the strike, dream higher. Even if you fail, seek out a government institution where you can acquire skills. Don't rush into marriage," he advised.
The visit was part of a nationwide monitoring exercise by the RDC Secretariat aimed at promoting wealth creation, fighting corruption, eradicating poverty and improving service delivery across the country.