A number of schools in West Acholi districts registered low turn up of semi-candidate classes on the first day of school reopening.
Starting Monday, schools started implementing the staggered re-opening for non-candidate classes beginning with semi-candidates in P.6, S.3 and S.5. This group of learner will study for 14 weeks before breaking off in May 2021.
However, during our on spot visits to a number of schools in West Acholi districts, we received a cold reception and found few students/pupils here and there.
At Bishop Angelo Negri College, out of the 108 registered senior 3 students, only 15 reported to school on Monday and out of the 35 senior fives only 8 reported. Tibert Amaru, the Director of Studies Bishop Angelo Negri College has blamed the low turn up on lack of school fees from some parents.
At Sacred Heart Secondary school, out of the 254 registered senior 3 students, only 19 reported to school on first day while 2 out of 26 senior five students reported. James Okata, the Deputy Head Teacher Sacred Heart Secondary school also attributed the low turn-up of students to lack of school fees.
At Keyo secondary School, out of 50 registered senior three students, only 7 reported on Monday and only 3 out of 6 senior fives were in school. However, John Kennedy Zokies, the deputy Head teacher in charge of academics says it has become a culture for parents not to send their children during the first week of school openings.
At St Mary’s College Lacor, out of the 200 senior three students only 13 reported while only 2 senior five students out of 17 reported on first day.
Agung community secondary school in Nwoya district also registered poor turn-up of semi-candidates. Only two out of 32 learners reported.
According to Otto Ben Kasule, the school head teacher, only 12 out of 21 teachers also reported to school. At Coo-rom primary school only 3 out of 16 learners reported, 46 out 63 learners reported to school at Paminyai primary school, 14 out of 54 reported to school at Oruka primary and 9 out 36 reported in Kulu Amuka primary school.
Others are Lulyango Primary where only 4 out 73 reported to school and 20 out of 54 learners reported to school at Agung primary school.
P.4 and P.5 will report to school on April 6 studying for 8 weeks and break off on June 21 to allow lower primary classes to report and use the school facilities. P.1, P.2 and P.3 learners will report back on June 7, study for eight weeks, which will end on July 24.
At the secondary level, S.1 students will resume their studies on April 12 covering 14 weeks up to July 3 while Learners in S.2 will start on May 31 studying for 10 weeks up to July 24.
