Acek nursery and primary school’s only dilapidated classroom for kids

Alebtong |Parents at Acek Nursery and Primary School in Alebtong district are becoming increasingly concerned about the impact of the upcoming rainy season on their children’s education.

The nursery kids and pupils, who are aged between 6 and 12, gather under the tree every morning to learn.

The school’s headteacher, Leoni Okello, stated that the lack of classrooms has been a significant challenge. They are doing their best to provide quality education to the learners, he stated.

Okello confirmed that the community school only has one temporary dilapidated structure where nursery kids are using as their class.

The remaining learners, ranging from primary one (P1) to primary five (P5), are studying under the shade of trees.

Acek is a two-year-old nursery and primary school. It began with a nursery school in 2023.

According to the headteacher, nursery and primary enrolment numbers are now over 500.

“We are grateful for the parents who are making a contribution of eleven thousand shillings (shs11,000) every term of which the money aims at building some classrooms temporarily,” he said.

Pius Okello, one of the concerned parents, stated that the rain would make it impossible for their children to learn. “The tree provides some shelter, but it’s not enough to keep them dry in heavy rain.”

The parents are urging the authorities and well-wishers to contribute to the school’s infrastructure in addition to what they are already doing.

Jimmy Okello, Assistant Resident District Commissioner (ARDC) of Alebtong, observed that Acek Primary School is one of many schools lacking basic infrastructure such as classrooms, desks, and chairs.

ARDC Okello expressed concern about the state of the school and urged NGOs and other stakeholders to help improve learning conditions.

“We need help to provide our children with a conducive learning environment,” said the ARDC. “We cannot continue to have our children learning under trees or in dilapidated classrooms.”