Pupil absenteeism worries RDC

By Doreen Musingo

JINJA - Richard Gulume Balyaino, the Jinja Resident District Commissioner (RDC) has raised concern over the increasing cases of absenteeism by primary schools pupils in Busede sub county.

During a monitoring exercise of four primary schools in Busede Sub County on Tuesday, Gulume learnt that despite teachers calling off their industrial action, pupils have failed to return to school.

During the same exercise Gulume commissioned 17-brick lined emptable VIP latrines with urinals worth sh272m that where constructed under the School Facilitation Grant (SFG) for the financial years 2013-2014 and 2014-2015.

At Wairaka primary school, out of 402 pupils only 232 had reported to school; 280 out of 466 at Kagogwa primary school.

At Kasozi primary out of 527 only 322 reported while at Nyenga primary school out of 558 pupils only 418 had reported to school.

Gulume (black suit) speaks to the  management of Wairaka primary school

“When you compare the number of pupils who enrolled in these schools and those who have reported the turn up by pupils is to poor. Since teachers called off their industrial action pupil attendance in rural areas has been poor and therefore I call upon parents to send their children to school,” Gulume said.

Gulume attributed the absenteeism to child labour. Parents send them to work in sugarcane plantations while others go fishing. He explained that they need to work with the parents, teachers and the pupils to see that the vice is curbed.

Gulume looks at an old pit latrine

“Most parents are not bothered about sending their children to school, not knowing that in future they will become a problem to the community. Everything is changing and today the world needs educated people to work,” he said.

Gulume tasked LC I chairpersons of each village in Busede to report parents to police whose children are found working during school hours.

Gulume reads the makings on a VIP latrine at Nyenga primary school (left) is Lilian Acen

He asked parents to closely monitor their children and the acting education officer, Lillian Acen, to constantly monitor schools.

However he advised able parents to construct rental houses near the schools saying that it’s an investment that they will benefit from since government is not yet ready to construct teachers' houses.

Acen noted that by 10:00am pupils run away from school to cut sugar cane.

She explained that children are also experiencing early marriages which have contributed to high school dropout.

She added that the latrines were constructed mainly for girls because most of them where dropping out of school for fear of sharing facilities with boys.

Fred Kasooka, the chairperson of the Parents Teacher’s Association of Kasozi primary school, said that the education department should constantly monitor to boost the teaching standards since teachers shun working in Busede sub county staying it’s an isolated place.