Katakwi, Uganda — Leaders of Katakwi District have celebrated the recent Primary Leaving Exam results with awards to some of the best performers.
Vice President Jessica Alupo who is also woman MP Katakwi District led the celebrations. She gave mattreses and school metalic boxes to each of the 151 learners that got first grades, and also gave other pupils monetary tokens in appreciation.
She thanked parents for letting their children access school, especially that there had been reports of school drop outs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In what is seen as a huge leap in performances, the Vice President noted that the figures of success had grown drastically in comparison to previous years.
"Previously, we as leaders could celebrate a few first graders, but today we are here to thank over 150. Not just first graders though, we are here to congratulate all other winners", as she thanked parents for valuing education, saying since the introduction of Universal Education, its success is manifested in Katakwi.
"Many of these children are from Universal primary Education, Katakwi doesn't have many private institutions", shading positive light on the policy.
However, the Vice President decried school dropouts allegedly due to school fees.
"Government-at every beginning of a term, sends captation funds to schools, Children must be in school because it is free education", she stated, while urging leaders to attract development partners into the district. Alupo also asked communities to join hands and guide all children back to schools to avoid drop out cases.
The Vice President also rallied for improved pupil-teacher ratio, saying every school must have a corresponding ratio to avoid Parents Teachers' Association own teacher recruitment.
She reminded the audience of Government's commitment to establish a secondary school at all sub counties and consequently recruit more for primary schools for rural areas like Angolekit, Angisa (all in Katakwi) among others.
The Vice President also asked Parents to engage in commercial production. "It will be very easy for parents to facilitate their children with school items like exercise book, pens and pencils etc if there is money in the household", she stated.
She encouraged children to carry food to schools, and asked Parents with Children with Disabilities to let them go to school as well "Don't hide children with disability at home, let them access school".
The Vice President also warned against the increasing cases of defilement and Child labour. "Let's protect our children", she appealed.
On the road network, the Vice President said that Government would-in the next financial year, work on kumi - Omatenga - okokorio-Usuk road to first class marram and low cost sealing for Getom to Ariamiriam.
The Usuk County- MP Bosco okiror hailed the improved performance and urged learners to fill up the local secondary schools.
"We have got potential in our own district" he said, as he rewarded the best students with
monetary gifts to each of the 23 first graders in Usuk County.
The Toroma County MP- Joseph Andrew Koluo said the excellent performances would be rewarded with experienced teachers for their young peers.
"Continur to have hope and discipline so as to reach higher levels of education" he said. He rewarded every first grader in Toroma money to help them as they join secondary education.
Robert Ntende former MP Mayuge thanked the VP for always supporting projects, like the construction of a catholic church in most especially in his constituency.
"You have the master key that opens development in the district, please continue to support the Vice President," Ntende said.
Geoffrey Omolo, the LCV chairperson thanked the Vice President for easing their work saying an improved performance is mostly as a result of the food Items donated by office of the Vice President to the schools of katakwi.
He said two sites for the construction of Getom and Akoboi seed schools would be officially commissioned for construction.
The CAO Katakwi Patrick Olila decried a shortage of Headteachers' accommodation and supported the calls for increased teacher recruitment. He thanked the VP for the support extended to katakwi, especially getting partners that have improved education and health infrastructures.
The District Education Officer Katakwi district-Ms.Atim who was accompanied by two inspectors Daniel Alileng and Bosco okiror said they used to have only Five headteachers in the 78 schools but now they have twenty six (26) headtechers that have worked hard to produce the marvelous result.
She thanked the CAO and the sub county heads for increasing school inspection, inspite of the fact that there is a gap of 500 teachers.
She appealed for internal recruitment so as to fill some of the gaps, citing the case of Epel memorial institute which is supposed to be operational this year.
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"We ask you to allow us perform internal recruitment because most of the teachers recruited from national only access the pay register and leave". Epel Memorial is built in honour of the father of the Vice President who was killed by rebels.
Sally Amuge headteacher Olupe primary school in Ngariam sub county who represented the headteachers applauded the teachers, learners, and pupils, for the spirit of togetherness.
She hailed the performance, which she attributed to
feeding programme that has been introduced in the rural schools.
The Parents representative, Benjamin Odeke thanked parents and teachers for their collective hard work to get 151 first graders, up from 60.
He thanked the VP for the continued support to schools and learners by proving scholastic materials and school feeding programme. "We celebrate you Toto VP because you are a product of katakwi schools", he said.
Headteacher Katakwi Township Primary school Samuel Ogwere said, for the first time his school is getting first grade due to good relations amongst political leaders, parents teachers and pupils.
He thanked the VP for the support of ironsheets for the construction of a teachers house.
