The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Rakai, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Rakai district local government is struggling to contain rampant cases of teenage pregnancies and high school dropout rates.
Steven Ssemutono, the Rakai District Inspector of Schools indicates that besides the obvious social problems that arise from teenage parenting, the district can hardly find enough native professionals that can work in the area due to the very few children completing education.
According to Ssemutono, a substantial number of children in the district do not complete the ordinary secondary education level, which affects human resource development in the area. The district has continuously suffered a sharp drop in the number of pupils seating Primary Leaving Examinations, Ordinary level and beyond.
For instance, figures at the district education department show that only 524 out of that 3,983 pupils that completed primary seven in Rakai district in 2016, managed to complete Uganda Certificate of Education-UCE four years later in 2020.
Ssemutono explains that with such a trend, the district can hardly employ its own children who qualify for professional appointments. He says that the biggest percentage of teachers in the area are outsourced.
Ssemutono says that many parents are still finding less significance in enrolling their children beyond primary seven. He says that they are pleading with the Ministry Of Education and Sports to give Rakai special consideration while admitting students beyond primary school-level such that the district can enroll more students in secondary schools and other tertiary institutions.
John Kasiiba, a retired teacher in Rakai district says that together with the local actors such as Non-Government Organizations-NGOs, they are trying hard to change the community perceptions about education.
He says that the district faces a serious problem of parenting and some primitive cultural practices where parents look at their girl children as sources of wealth for the family.
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