By Ambrose Okwanga
Residents of Abade Village in Aganga Parish, Ibuje Sub-county, Apac District, have appealed to local authorities to establish a government primary school, saying the long distance to the nearest schools is forcing many children out of class.
According to the LC1 Chairperson of Abade Village, Patrick Opio, children from the area currently attend either Igoti Primary School or Cakali Primary School, both of which are about 10 kilometres away.
Opio said the long trek has discouraged many young learners from attending school regularly, with some arriving late while others have dropped out altogether because they cannot manage the daily journey.
He revealed that residents have repeatedly petitioned the authorities to construct a government school in the village, but their requests have been unsuccessful, with officials citing a lack of land.
In response, the community raised Shs6 million to purchase four acres of land for the proposed school. However, despite securing the land, construction has not commenced.
To address the education gap, a local resident donated land for a private nursery and primary school, Divine Junior School. However, Opio noted that many parents are unable to afford the school fees, leaving numerous children without access to education.
The Director of Divine Junior School, Santos Odongo, said education levels in Abade remain lower than in neighbouring villages because of the absence of a nearby government school.
“Although some parents enrolled their children at the school, many struggle to pay school fees and meet other scholastic costs,” Odongo said.
Odongo appealed to the government to respond to the community’s concerns and expedite the construction of a government primary school, noting that residents have already fulfilled the requirement of acquiring land.
Divine Nursery and Primary School currently offers classes up to Primary Five and has an enrolment of 250 pupils.
Meanwhile, the LCIII Chairperson of Ibuje Sub-county, Alex Ogota, acknowledged that Abade is among the areas underserved by government schools.
He urged residents to formally channel their request through the sub-county council so it can be presented to the district authorities for consideration.
Ogota said the sub-county is working to improve education standards in Ibuje, but noted that school dropout rates and poor access to education remain major challenges in some parishes.
“Parents should prioritise education and avoid keeping children at home to help with domestic or agricultural work,” Ogota stressed.
Speaking to this publication, Jaspher Odongo, the Apac District Secretary for Education, said the district is aware of the four acres of land purchased by the community and that the matter will be presented before the district council.
He said the previous council had resolved to establish an annex of Igoti Primary School in the area, noting that the district will now implement that council resolution.
“We are aware of the challenges the community is facing due to the long distance to schools, and this is contributing to school dropout, teenage pregnancy, and early marriage,” Odongo added.