THREE TEREGO DISTRICT SCHOOLS CHOKE IN DEBTS DUE TO LACK OF CAPITATION GRANTS

By Kaleb Yiiki

Arua

Education Service Delivery at Ariwa, Odoubu and Ocea Primary Schools in Terego District are grossly affected due to Lack of capitation grants.
These three Border Schools of Terego district With Madi Okollo District have not received Government Capitation Grants for at least three consecutive Quarters.

When Radio Pacis Visited these Schools, the administrators of the Schools revealed that they were told, the Capitation Grants were erroneously remitted to Madi Okollo District yet the schools are administratively under Terego District.

At Ocea Primary School which has a total pupil enrolment of 3,283, the lack of capitation grants impacted the school in that it became difficult for the school administration to facilitate co-curricular activities in First and second term this academic year.

Florence Ajio reveals to Radio Pacis that despite the Challenges in Financing, she found the school running. She says that some ill-intentioned people rumored that the school was closed. She continued to reveal that when she was posted and reported in her duty station, she found out that there was a non-functional School management committee (SMC).

But on a recent visit by the District Education Officer (DEO) together with the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), they advised her to form the SMC and submit the list to the District for approval. “The functional SMC formation and approval will help to ease the release of the Capitation Grants in order to run the school smoothly.” She reveals.  

Meanwhile at Ariwa Primary School with a total enrolment of 1,601 Pupils, 24 teachers, 11 Government paid and 13 Sponsored by Windle Trust and World Vision. Ariwa Primary School also runs the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP).

On a positive note in Ariwa primary School, the Parents and other stakeholders have been very supportive in the absence of Capitation Grants.
Justine Akuru the Deputy Head teacher reveals that they have accumulated a lot of debts in order to ensure that the pupils participate in co-curricular activities like ball games. She continues to reveal that the lack of funds makes travels to the District Headquarters to attend meetings very difficult.

The situation of lack of funds at times makes the administration to sell some school properties like Chalk to cover some administrative Costs. “If our community was a bad one, by now, the parents from which we borrowed tools and other essentials would have even assaulted us.” She recollects.

On the other hand the Head Teacher of Ariwa primary School Bernard Oyeku decries staff accommodations which are in deplorable state. It was observed on a tour in the staff quarters led by the Head teachers that the Staff House are mostly grass thatched huts forcing some teachers to even be accommodated in Class rooms while others are accommodated in squeezed huts.

The head teacher also revealed that the Water points are on and off with clean water. “Some unknown people come into my office and they refuse most times to introduce themselves and when I don’t give them the information they end up insulting us.”

Festus Ayikobua, Resident District Commissioner Terego speaks to the media

However Festus Ayikobua the Resident District Commissioner for Terego acknowledges the lack of the capitation grants to the Schools and confirms that Madi Okollo District Local Government indeed received above shs.90 Million meant for the three Schools for those past quarters but urged the schools to persevere, for help is on the way because they made steps to meet the Permanent Secretary to the treasury in the ministry of Finance together with the CAOs of both Terego and Madi Okollo Districts.

He recommended that the advice of the solicitor general had to be sought on the matter including the office of the attorney General and that correspondences have been exchanged to handle the matter to that effect. “I want to assure the School heads that the money that was sent to Madi Okollo District is intact and Letters of instructions have been written to CAO Madi Okollo to transfer these funds to the accounts of the three schools,” he assured.

COVER PHOTO: P.6 Pupils of Ocea primary school in class By Kaleb Yiiki