DOKOLO – Questions remain over whether yesterday’s emergency stakeholders engagement will guarantee a safe environment for teachers at Angai Primary School in Kangai Town Council, Dokolo South County, Dokolo District.
Angai Primary School has only 11 teaching staff.
Recently the school’s headteacher, Joe Alele, announced on media that 10 of his teachers had written to the office of the District Education Officer through his office requesting for transfer to another school due to threats they alleged were being made against them by some members of the community neighbouring the school.
This prompted the school to organise an emergency Annual General Meeting involving district leaders to find a solution and harmonise the situation after teachers decided to stay away from the school for one week over fears linked to an ongoing land conflict.
During the emergency AGM held at Angai Primary School, which brought together district leaders, the school management committee, teachers, parents, community members and pupils to address concerns surrounding the disputed school land and the safety of teachers, Dokolo Resident District Commissioner Babra Akech asked teachers to return to school with effect from Tuesday and resume teaching, assuring them that the district leadership would do its best to address the land-related concerns.
Akech urged the teachers to put the interests of the pupils first, noting that the learners should not continue suffering because of the conflict.
She also assured the teachers of their safety and warned that action would be taken against anyone found threatening or attacking them.
Dokolo District LCV Chairperson Peter Ogwang advised pupils to immediately report to the headteacher any incident or person they believe poses a threat to their safety.
Ogwang urged the pupils to concentrate on their studies, saying education is critical to securing their future.
He also called upon the school management committee and local leaders to continue performing their responsibilities despite the land dispute, while urging members of the surrounding community to remain vigilant and avoid actions that could escalate tensions.
The acting District Education Officer, Patrick Okai, expressed concern over reports that some teachers had allegedly been subjected to harassment, including an incident in which police officers reportedly attempted to arrest a teacher at night.
Okai said teachers’ rights must be respected and called for proper procedures to be followed whenever a teacher is required to respond to any matter.
He encouraged the teachers not to give up and urged them to return to school and continue teaching.
Meanwhile, Ebitu Denis Ower, the LCIII Chairperson of Kangai Town Council, urged teachers to report any threats or security concerns to his office for appropriate action.
Ower warned individuals allegedly behind threats against the teachers to distance themselves from the matter, saying the authorities would take action if such threats continued.
The school’s headteacher, Joe Alele, said the teachers had unanimously agreed to return to school and resume teaching, emphasizing that pupils are the leaders of tomorrow.
Alele appealed to members of the surrounding community to support and protect the teachers, pledging to continue engaging with staff and community members to ensure the smooth running of the school.
The teachers had stayed away from Angai Primary School for one week after an incident on September 24, 2026, when some police officers reportedly attempted to arrest one of the teachers at about 3:00 a.m. The circumstances surrounding the attempted arrest remain unclear.