17 February, 2025 – Dokolo: The Dokolo district education system has recently come under scrutiny as reports of alleged duty abandonment by inspectors of schools surfaced.
The issue was brought to light during a stakeholders meeting at Amatiburu primary school, where concerns were raised over the lack of signatures from inspectors on official documents.
According to Vincent Ogwang, the Kangai sub county Senior Assistant Secretary, the lack of inspection by these officials is adversely affecting the quality of education in the district.
Additionally, Ogwang expressed concern over the verbal transfer of staff by the office of the district education officer, causing administrative challenges and difficulties in mobilizing students.
The stakeholders meeting, which was attended by various individuals including the RDC, district officials, and community leaders, delved into various issues affecting learning in Dokolo.
This included poor performance and the need for more teachers to be recruited in the district.
In response to these allegations, Susan Lea Adoma, who represented Dokolo district education officer David Eryatu, denied all claims brought against their staff.
Adoma clarified that their transfer process is not verbal but rather follows proper procedures, with the transferred staff responsible for finding their replacement.
She also highlighted the current government policy of not recruiting teachers, which has resulted in a worrying pupil to teacher ratio of 102 pupils per teacher in Dokolo.
Adoma noted that this policy is hindering the district’s efforts to improve the quality of education.
In addressing the issue of poor performance, Adoma revealed that the education department has taken measures to address the situation.
”Starting this term, the worst 10 head teachers will be summoned before a reward and sanctions committee to address any performance issues” she said.
Furthermore, Adoma emphasized the importance of school feeding programs to ensure peaceful learning environments.
She called on parents to support and participate in this initiative to promote the overall well-being and academic success of their children.
District Police Commander Patience Baganzi expressed her disappointment with the poor performance of schools in the district.
She attributed this to a lack of responsibility and dedication, even going as far as to say that the root of the problem is in the home.
Baganzi highlighted the issue of parents, particularly fathers, who neglect their parental duties and fail to provide a proper upbringing for their children.
She stressed the importance of both parents being involved in their child’s education and called for equal responsibility from both the mother and father.
Dokolo RDC Barbara Akech also weighed in on the matter, urging everyone to play their part in improving the performance of schools in the district.
She specifically mentioned the need to address the problem of head teachers who have been acting in their role for too long, which demotivates them from performing to their best ability.
Furthermore, it was discovered that out of the 5 schools in Kangai sub county, only 2 have a substantive head teacher.
This raises concerns about the stability and consistency of leadership in these schools, which could ultimately affect their performance.
Statistics show that in the 2024 exams, Kangai sub county registered 242 candidates and none of them pass in Division one.
According to the authorities, a shockingly high number of pupils are still absent from school, even after the start of the third week of the term.
In Oyitogole Primary school, only 53 out of 1252 pupils were present on the first day, with 353 students attending by the third week and a staggering 899 still absent.
The situation is similar in other schools, such as Aliwok Primary school, where out of over 600 pupils, only 114 reported on the first day.
Angwenya Primary school had 213 pupils on the first day, with 715 present in the third week and 276 still absent.
Adwila Modern Primary school, with a total enrollment of 1304 students, had an alarming number of 832 pupils still absent by the third week.
Finally, it was found that Amatiburu primary school had no documentation of its pupils under the leadership of the new head teacher Ejangoria Emaculate.
This raises questions about the organization and efficiency of the school’s management.
In light of these troubling findings, it is clear that urgent action needs to be taken to improve the state of education in Dokolo district.
