Over 60 pupils arrested in K’maido district for school absenteesm

Kaberamaido – Classes are empty and devoid of life as though school-going pupils have been consigned to history.

Schools opened for the second term this week amid a flux of challenges the country is grappling with. High prices of local commodities, high fuel prices and the country wide sit down strike by science teachers.

This has prompted the Kaberamaido district Education department to act to curb what they feel are parents denying their children a right to education.

James Esuku, the Officer-in-Charge of Education and Special needs in the  department, says the low turn up for the second term is worrying. He cited their operation at Bugoi Primary School in Ochero Town Council where no pupil reported in primary six, four and three classes respectively.

Eseku noted that the operation will run for one week to monitor parents who are denying their children the right to education.

The operation started on Monday 9th May 2022 with Kobulubulu sub-county, where six school-going children were arrested and detained at Kobuulubulu police station waiting for their parents to respond on why they didn’t go to school.

The children are from Ogwalowoo village Akwala-Kwala Parish Kobulubulu sub-county Kaberamaido district.

Damalie Ajibo the Secretary of Health and Education at Kaberamaido District Local Government says they are challenged with pushing parents to send children to school.

Ajibo informed LBS NewsDay that 60 school-going children from Ochero cattle market were arrested. She attributed the low turn up to negligence by some parents who have a wrong perception of delaying children at home in the first week.

In Kobulubulu Sub-county, Katinge Primary School had 212 pupils out of 1344, Opiu Primary School had 105 pupils out of 751, Akwala-kwala Primary School had 213 pupils out of 915 and, Abata Primary School had 206 pupils out of 835 as of 9th May 2022 5:00 pm.

Kobulubulu Senior Secondary School had 48 students out of 400 students expected for term two of 2022.

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