The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kwania, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police in Kwania District, Northern Uganda, have briefly detained five parents for failing to take their children to school. They were arrested on Monday during an operation led by Alan Aboce, Akali Sub-County Chief.
Daniel Okullo, Susan Alaba, and Bosco Dunge, all residents of Iceke Leye Village, Aderolongo Parish, in Akali Sub-County, are parents of children at Aderolongo Primary School. The parents later committed themselves in writing to send their children to school.
A report from Aderolongo Primary School indicates that out of 600 learners registered at the school last term, only 295 reported as of Monday, about three weeks after the Term II school reopening.
Aboce, the Akali sub-county chief said they managed to apprehend nine school-age children and five parents, but the children were released.
The subcounty chief warned the errant parents who are still keeping school-going-age children at home to send them back to school, adding that the operation would continue across all parishes within the subcounty to improve on the regular school attendance.
Patrick Onyala, chairman of the Parents’ and Teachers’ Association of Aderolongo Primary School, said the operation is timely. He said most parents have failed to pay the sh15,000 PTA Development Fund that was resolved by the district council, which has hindered the development of the school.
Ronald Ecunga, the head teacher of Aderolongo Primary School, said only 295 pupils reported back to school out of the registered 600 pupils.
He said most parents kept children home to help them do domestic chores, especially chasing birds from sunflower fields and digging, urging parents to send the learners back to school.
Aderolongo Primary School is a government-aided primary school located in Aderolongo Parish, Akali Sub-County, in Kwania District.
The school currently has 19 teaching staff deployed by Kwania District Education Local Government to the school and 295 pupils from Primary One to Primary Seven, with a dropout rate of more than 300 pupils.
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