The unroofed block has left more than 200 students vulnerable to rain and intense sunlight. This damage, caused by a storm late last year, has yet to be fully repaired due to insufficient resources.
Ocetoke Primary School in Labongo Layamo Sub-county, Kitgum District, continues to face dire challenges as one of its classroom blocks remains roofless despite receiving 91 iron sheets from the Office of the Prime Minister in July.
The unroofed block has left more than 200 students vulnerable to rain and intense sunlight. This damage, caused by a storm late last year, has yet to be fully repaired due to insufficient resources. Anek Sunday Grace, the school’s headteacher, expressed her frustration over the lack of funds and additional building materials essential for completing the repairs.
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"We received the iron sheets, but we can't proceed without other essential materials like timber, nails, and cement," Anek said. "We're stuck, and our students are suffering." With a total enrollment of 1,014 students, Ocetoke Primary School currently operates with only seven classrooms, resulting in significant overcrowding.
Primary 6 and 7 students, who were housed in the affected block, now crowd into already congested spaces, affecting their learning environment. "This situation impacts our learners' performance and well-being since they are forced to sit in cramped conditions," Anek emphasized. "We urgently need help to address this crisis."
Kitgum District Education Officer Anthony Lam Lawot acknowledged the school’s challenges, attributing the delay in repairs to an incomplete Bill of Quantities by the district engineering department. He noted that the district is also awaiting funding guidelines from the Ministry of Education for the current quarter.
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"We've prioritized other pressing issues, including fencing off two seed secondary schools and renovating dilapidated structures," Lawot explained. "However, we are awaiting funding guidelines for this quarter, and we are hopeful that once those are received, we can proceed."
He expressed optimism that the classroom block would be restored by the start of the next academic year, helping to ease the overcrowding issue. Kitgum District Chairperson Arwai Christopher Obol called on parents, stakeholders, and the community to rally together in support of the school’s rehabilitation efforts.
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"We can't do it alone," Obol urged. "Let's join hands to ensure our children receive quality education in a conducive environment."
Opoka Denis
Freelancer