While Education is seen as an important tool to address the problem of child trafficking, many children in the district are facing challenges in accessing quality education.
As a result, children have dropped out of school and are now living in the streets of towns, mainly Kampala and Nairobi in Kenya, where parents often send them to beg for money to feed their families.
The warning follows a tragic incident at Ngai Senior Secondary School, where Immaculate Ayo, a Senior One student, died after a stampede triggered by a phone battery explosion.
Brenda Acheng, a student at the school, narrated that an unidentified student was charging a phone battery in one of the rooms where students were studying. Suddenly, the battery exploded, causing panic.
Despite interventions by both government and development partners, the parents have paid deaf ears to resort to keeping children in the kraals to look after the livestock instead of taking them to school. Children especially boys are taken to the kraals as young as six years old and spend their entire lives until their youthful stage then they return home for marriage while the warriors recruit others into cattle rustling.
In 2022, the government commenced the construction at an estimated cost of about 3.6 billion Shillings, and the works were expected to be completed in December 2024.
Samuel Ewangu, the Headteacher of Kasimeri Primary School, said that they now have higher enrollment, and the biggest challenge remains the facility to accommodate all the learners.
In Atutur Seed School, the construction of the dormitory was delayed after the former Resident District Commissioner of Kumi, Ahamada Washaki, mobilized parents against making any contributions to the government-aided schools.
Betty Napeyok, the headteacher of Longalom Primary School, said they are struggling to get higher enrollment due to the alleged scholarship offers from the nearby school. She explained that the rumor affected their enrollment, with many parents withdrawing their children. "
Joyce Nakoya, the Napak District Education Officer, said there is no clear, sustainable support for the children’s feeding program. She said that although the district wrote to the Office of the Prime Minister for food support, they are yet to receive feedback regarding their plea.
Ssenkungu observes that barely three years after the school was commissioned for utilization, the new buildings have already presented with cracks running through the floors and walls of some of the structures, hence threatening their stability.
The works include the construction of 2 classrooms, an office for the Headteacher, 2 stance Pit latrines for boys, furniture for the 2 classrooms, and 2 tables for the teachers.
Amos Okoboi, the Nabilatuk District Sports Officer, highlighted that the team will join counterparts from various districts for the national competition, marking the district's inaugural participation since its establishment in 2018.
On Sunday, the team composed of 6 girls and 6 boys was led by the Sports Officer to participate in the tournament that will feature in the Under-12 Category.
The Programme will target youth from the entire Karamoja region with a focus on Moroto, Nakapiripirit, and Kotido Districts. It will also achieve gender equity by targeting 50 percent girls and 50 percent boys.
Esther Nachap, a 14-year-old pupil at Lotome Girls Primary School, highlighted the frustration caused by the lack of basic needs, including sanitary pads for girls experiencing menstrual cycles.
The community school that was established in 2013 has an enrollment of 302 pupils and has only one temporal classroom constructed with only poles and iron sheets.
The State Minister in Charge of Primary Education Doctor Joyce Moriku Kaducu, reveals that the government is going to withdraw its capitation grants and any support to private schools that have continued to overcharge its students for education services.
Muyingo was responding to a matter of national importance raised by Elijah Okupa, the Kasilo County legislator during a plenary sitting of the House chaired by Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa on Tuesday.
