Famine mars Katakwi schools music festival
Jul 29, 2009
The low turn-up in this year’s music festival for the primary schools in Katakwi district has been attributed to famine. Many schools could not participate because they did not have food to give to the participants, the Uganda National Teachers Union ch
By Simon Naulele
The low turn-up in this year’s music festival for the primary schools in Katakwi district has been attributed to famine. Many schools could not participate because they did not have food to give to the participants, the Uganda National Teachers Union chairperson for Katakwi district, Mary Jacinta Okiror, said.
“Instead of coming for the music festival, pupils stayed at home looking for what to eat,†said Okiror. Of the 18 schools expected to participate in Usuk sub-county from which a team to compete at the district had to be selected, only three turned up, she said.
The crops, which the schools had planted to feed pupils, dried because of drought, Okiror said. “Performance was poor compared to last year’s where the trainers and participants were in high spirits,†said Betty Aloket, an adjudicator at the festival and the head teacher of Olela Primary School.
Usuk Girls emerged winners with 530 points, followed by Aakum Primary School with 510 points. Toibong came last with 318. In Katakwi, and Ngariam sub-counties, six other schools were also selected.
The selected teams will compete at the district meet on July 31.
The low turn-up in this year’s music festival for the primary schools in Katakwi district has been attributed to famine. Many schools could not participate because they did not have food to give to the participants, the Uganda National Teachers Union chairperson for Katakwi district, Mary Jacinta Okiror, said.
“Instead of coming for the music festival, pupils stayed at home looking for what to eat,†said Okiror. Of the 18 schools expected to participate in Usuk sub-county from which a team to compete at the district had to be selected, only three turned up, she said.
The crops, which the schools had planted to feed pupils, dried because of drought, Okiror said. “Performance was poor compared to last year’s where the trainers and participants were in high spirits,†said Betty Aloket, an adjudicator at the festival and the head teacher of Olela Primary School.
Usuk Girls emerged winners with 530 points, followed by Aakum Primary School with 510 points. Toibong came last with 318. In Katakwi, and Ngariam sub-counties, six other schools were also selected.
The selected teams will compete at the district meet on July 31.