Kole’s Alito tops in school dropouts

Kole | Alito sub-county in Kole district currently has the highest rate of school dropouts and early teen marriages.

According to figures provided by Kole district security in their report, the dropout rate for Alito sub-county in Kole North is 40%.

The district authorities have issued a warning to parents about marrying off their daughters at a young age, which leads to school dropouts.

Muno David, the Assistant Resident District Commissioner of Kole, stated at a media briefing in Lira City on Wednesday that children in Kole North are under-enrolled in school.

Muno stated that the Alito sub-county is particularly affected by educational challenges, with a sizable portion of the learning population (40%) being school dropouts. He also stated that teenage marriages continue to be prevalent.

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ARDC Muno urged parents to adopt a transformative mindset that values their children’s education.

Muno stated that the security report demonstrates a lack of institutional commitment, and urged church, cultural, and political leaders to actively promote the importance of education, as well as encourage parents to change their perspectives and prioritize their children’s educational needs.

He stated that the security forces will not be silent on this matter. According to the report, many children are not attending school because they are herding livestock, and girls as young as 18 are becoming parents.

In response to this misconduct, Muno stated that security measures would be implemented against the parents.

Many children are preoccupied with domestic responsibilities rather than their education, Muno continued, and reassured the public that efforts will be made to address the situation, including the possible arrest of parents whose children are not attending school and instead remain at home.

Tom Olet, LC3 chairman’s representative, expressed dissatisfaction after visiting several government-supported schools.

On the second day of term III at Acan Kado Primary School in Apala parish, Alito sub-county, he noticed that only three Primary Seven and three Primary Six pupils were present.

One of the 65 Primary Seven candidates at Onyut Primary School in Barogin Parish was present for class.

Following the announcement of the pre-mock examination results, only three Alito candidates received Division One out of 450.

To address the issues, beginning September 19, 2024, any parent who allowed schoolchildren to participate in gardening activities would face a shs50,000 fine.