Amuru district registers low turn up of primary six pupils

The few numbers in primary six have been attributed to financial implications of COVID-19

Amuru, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Amuru district education department has registered a low turn up of primary six pupils.

Recently, the government allowed semi candidates to report back to school as it eased the restrictions on the education sector which was closed to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in March last year.

Before the closure of schools, the district had registered a total of 3,189 primary six pupils. However following the resumption of lessons, only 1,810 pupils have reported back to school.

Some of the schools that have registered low turn up of primary six learners include; Oloyotong Primary school where no primary six pupil has returned to school out of the 45 that were registered before the closure of schools. Others are; Labala primary school with 65 learners out of 105, Amuru Lamogi with 198 out 238, Abbott with 48 out 105 learners.

Nixon Oloya, a parent at Bana Primary school which also registered very few numbers in primary six attributes the turn up to financial implications of COVID-19. Oloya explains that although they realized huge harvests, most of their products were bought at very low prices by middlemen, something which made it very difficult for them to save for the education of their children.

Scovia Aciro, a parent at Labala Primary School says she has two children in primary seven and the little money she had has been spent to pay for their school and examination fees.

According to Aciro, she has opted to pay for the other two children in primary seven while the other two in primary six will resume classes in the next academic year due to the lack of money.

Michael Lakony, the LC V chairperson Amuru says that efforts to rally parents to take back their children to school have been futile due to the harsh economic environment worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Lakony, the government should consider giving financial support to schools and wave school fees for at least one year to allow parents to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Joyce Lanyero, the District Education Officer says the district has ensured all the schools adhere to the standard operating procedures set by the ministry of health.

She says plans are underway to rally parents to send their children who are still at home to school so that they are prepared and ready for their examinations in the next academic year.

*****

URN