The much-anticipated reopening of schools in Karamoja has been met with an unsettling reality as many classrooms remained empty for the entire week despite the official start of the term.
Across several schools in the sub-region, both students and teachers have been slow to return, raising concerns about the impact of delayed attendance on learning outcomes.
At Nachele Primary School, only nine pupils reported for classes. Lotee John Bosco , a teacher at the school, expressed his frustration, blaming parents for the low turnout.
“We expected more pupils to report, but unfortunately, parents are still reluctant to send their children back to school,” he said.
A similar situation was observed at Lia Primary School, KDA Primary School, Municipal Primary School and Atedeoi Community School, where classrooms remained nearly empty.
Teachers in the region attribute the slow return to a deep-rooted culture of late reporting.
“Even when we, the teachers, are present, we have no students to teach,” said KOROBE JACOB, a teacher at KDA Primary School.
This trend is further worsened by the attitude of parents, who bring their children to register but then take them back home, waiting for what they perceive as the ‘right’ time to start school. ENGWAU DANIEL, headteacher of Municipal Primary School, highlighted this challenge.
“We announced registration in January, but parents did not show up. Now, they are using this first week only for registration instead of actual learning,” he noted.
In some cases, even teachers have failed to report on time. MILTON ODONG, the Resident District Commissioner of Napak, visited Longalum Primary School and Nabwal Primary School in Napak District and was disappointed by the low teacher attendance.
“Only a handful of teachers had shown up. This kind of sluggish reporting affects not only students but the entire education system in the region,” he said.
Education experts warn that such delays could significantly impact students’ academic performance. Patrick Kaboyo , an education expert, called for urgent intervention.
“More education campaigns need to be done in Karamoja, and all stakeholders must be brought on board to address this issue,” he emphasized.
With concerns mounting over the long-term effects of late reporting, stakeholders are now being urged to take collective action to ensure that students in Karamoja do not fall further behind in their education
