Improving PLE in Dokolo

As one of the districts in Lango sub-region, Dokolo has been grappling with poor academic performance in the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).

The 2024 PLE results placed the district among the least-performing in the sub-region, raising serious concerns among education stakeholders, parents, and government authorities.

Branded dismal, the 2024 PLE results have prompted local authorities to take drastic measures in addressing the root causes of underperformance.

Among these measures is an operation led by the Resident District Commissioner of Dokolo, Babra Akech, that was earlier initiated at the beginning of the first term of 2025. The operation aims at ensuring that all school-aged children are attending school.

Since the operation started, everal parents and their children have been arrested in an effort to understand why many children were still at home instead of being in school.

During an interview with QFM on February 24, 2025, RDC Akech expressed satisfaction with the current level of commitment shown by parents and teachers towards improving education in Dokolo.

“Both parents and teachers are now playing their role in ensuring that education standards improve in Dokolo District,” Akech stated.

Following a series of community meetings held by the RDC with parents, stakeholders, head teachers, and technical education officers across various sub-counties in Dokolo, a new proposal has equally emerged.

Many parents have expressed concerns about the automatic promotion of pupils from one class to another without assessing their readiness to advance.

They strongly recommend that before registering candidates for the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), there should be a screening process to assess the academic competence of each P7 pupil.

According to the parents, this measure would ensure that only qualified pupils sit for the national exams, thereby improving the district’s overall performance.

Mary Adongo, a parent, spoke of the need to stop the habit of pushing pupils to sit for PLE simply because they have reached P7.

“Many children are not adequately prepared, and this is why we continue to get poor results,” Adongo said.

A parent identified as John Opio also called for the revival of debate competitions among primary schools in the district citing that inter-school debates will enhance learners’ critical thinking, confidence, and communication skills, which are essential for academic excellence.

“In the past, debate competitions were a strong tool for sharpening pupils’ ability to express themselves and think critically. We need to bring them back,” Opio added.

Parents have urged head teachers to ensure that pupils are given homework regularly, a practice commonly seen in private schools noting that most government schools do not assign homework, leaving children idle after school hours, which contributes to poor academic performance.

Dokolo District has been struggling with several challenges that contribute to poor academic performance.

These challenges include; high absenteeism and school dropout, inadequate parental involvement, shortage of qualified teachers and learning materials, poor school infrastructure, and lack of motivation among teachers and learners.

Others are implementing teacher motivation aspects and capacity building, and engaging in community sensitization on importance of education,

The push by Dokolo District parents to introduce screening of P7 candidates before PLE registration is a bold step toward improving academic performance.

If well-implemented, this initiative, coupled with other recommendations such as restoring debate competitions and enforcing continuous assessment, could significantly transform education in the district.