Headteachers tasked to register all learners ahead of schools reopening 

Eveline Acola, the headteacher of Lukome Lawiyedul has asked for the fencing of ‘her’ school.

By Okot Lil Romeo

 Gulu – January 6, 2022: The Ministry of Education and Sports through Gulu City education officers have tasked all the headteachers in Gulu City to register all learners with all their challenges.

The ministry wants learners’ data who got married or gave birth during the lockdown before the reopening of school on January 10 for early preparation.

Eveline Acola, headteacher of Lukome Lawiyedul primary whose school’s textbooks have been eaten by termites, says they are ready for reopening of school.

But, she reveals they’re facing a lot of challenges: shortages of staff houses, trespass by the community which she says are stealing the school property.

She has asked for the fencing of the school.

“The school has no storage for keeping the property,” she says, adding, “We are mixing books with food with and other tools, and the latrine of boys is full; it will be a problem to manage the school.”

Richard Irwenyo is the principal education officer (PEO) of Gulu City. He explains that the ministry of education and sports have held several training sessions to build the capacity of teachers.

 “…empowering them [teachers] to receive the learners of which issue of automatic promotion of children was key.”

ALSO READ:

• Lukome primary school – Gulu: Termites eat over 200 textbooks
• Mixed reactions as Museveni nears Okaying Indians’ request to be ‘absolute’ Ugandans

He says the capacity building was done by National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) with support from the ministry of education and sports.

 Irywenyo, however, confirmed that the ministry on December 24, 2021, released money for all schools to reopen smoothly.

“We have set community mobilization and awareness on the reopening of school through radio advertisements to reach the parents,” PEO adds.

 Rev. Father Charles Onen, Gulu City East Division MP has mobilized over 50 parents of Lukome Lawiyeadul primary school for general cleaning ahead of January 10.

 MP Onen has appealed to all the headteachers and teachers to report to their schools in what he calls “to avoid wasting time when school reopens” and to avoid school property being stolen by the community and eaten by termites.

He advises government not to close the learning institutions again because the level of teenage pregnancy is increasing.

The Legislator notes that for the two years in lockdown, over 12,000 young girls got pregnant in the Acholi sub-region.