Classroom crisis hits Amuru district

May 22, 2008

AMURU needs 486 more classrooms in the villages where the formerly displaced schools are returning, the district education officer has said.

By Chris Ocowun
AMURU needs 486 more classrooms in the villages where the formerly displaced schools are returning, the district education officer has said.

In addition, Ben Okwamoi noted, there were inadequate teachers, adding that they hope to recruit 297 more staff to reduce the huge teacher-to-pupil ratio.

The education chief was on Tuesday speaking to The New Vision at the district headquarters.

He said out of the 60 schools which relocated from their original sites to the internally displaced people’s camps due to the LRA war, 38 had returned and 22 were in transit camps.

“We need at least two classrooms in each of the schools. Most of the pupils study under trees or in tents,” Okwamoi stated.

“We also don’t have enough teachers’ houses, causing absenteeism.”

The district service commission, Okwamoi said, advertised for the vacant teaching posts in primary schools and about 457 people were short-listed.

“I told them to be ready to go to live in the bush. We do not want people who intend to commute daily from town to their duty stations.

“We are mobilising and urging parents to build grass-thatched huts for the teachers.”

According to Okwamoi, the rate of enrollment of pupils in primary schools had dropped from 59,359 last year to 58,204 this year.

“This is because some parents are returning with their children deep in the villages, which are far away from schools.

“We still anticipate a poor turn out of pupils when the second term opens on Monday.” He pointed out that the re-established schools also needed 1,152 more latrines.

The education chief appealed to charity organisations to help the district build more classrooms, latrines and provide scholastic materials.

Pupil numbers fell from 59,359 last year to 58,204

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