Abia Secondary school building which was recently constructed with funding from World Bank and Government of Uganda. Photos by Simon Eluk
By Simon Eluk
Alebtong: Parents in Ajuri County in Alebtong district have lauded the government for establishing four seed secondary schools to ease access to secondary education and reduce the cost of learning.
In the 2018/2019 financial year, the government launched the establishment of a seed school in each sub-county.
For the past two years, the government has constructed four seed schools in Angetta, Adwir, Awei, and Amugu sub-counties using the government Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer (Ugift) funded by the World Bank.
Construction of the seed school in Adwir, Awei, and Angetta cost shs 2.5b, shs3.5b, and shs 2bn respectively, according to the district engineer, David Puce. Amugu which is worth shs 900m is still under construction.
Awei Sub County used to have only Akii Bua Comprehensive Secondary School, however, in 2023, the seed school has been admitting students.
Parents speak
David Ogwang of Ocom village where Amugu Seed is being established said the nearest Secondary School in the area is located 10km away, and the new school will relieve him of the burden of taking his children to expensive schools.
Robert Okullo of Angetta Village described the development as a blessing to several parents who cannot afford expensive schools.
According to Okullo, the majority of parents are peasant farmers who, because of unreliable weather, can’t earn enough to feed and pay high school fees.
“…with the coming of seed schools, most of us are happy since it is affordable,” he added.
Rose Aliro of Atwenyi village in Omoro, said besides setting up seed schools, parents should also be encouraged to support the education of their children, unlike the Universal Primary Education where most parents neglected their responsibilities.
Aliro stated that parents are pleased with the development because it will help in fighting illiteracy in the communities.
Francis Ogwang Abwang, the LC3 chairperson of Adwir Sub County, said is happy that the seed schools have made financial constrained parents keep their children in school, reduced distance learners move to school, and the cost of secondary education.
“This has given me an answer to fighting illiteracy and ignorance in the community,” Abwang said.
Robert Okullo, the LC3 chairperson of Angetta said when the government notified them of the proposal for a seed school, they were quick to secure land for the project, which was bought at shs 12m raised by the community.
“It was on a first-come, first-served basis,” Okullo said, adding, Angetta was the first sub-county to offer land and I am happy to say the government started construction in 2022 and it has since been completed.”
The school now has 163 students from S.1 to S.3.
Levi Abongo, the head teacher of Abia Seed School suggested the need to sensitize parents to support the schools by paying by taking their children to study in them and also paying fees.
According to Abongo, some financially stable parents prefer to take their children to schools in urban areas.
“There is a lot that needs to be done to change the attitude of our parents because like in Abia we have 214 students, but some parents don’t even want to pay school fees.”
School opens opportunities
The District Education Officer, Moses Olwit said students have already enrolled in Awei, Angetta, and Adwir seed schools, and is optimistic more will join as years go by.
“Only Amugu is still under construction. The rest are operating normally and the parents are very happy,” Olwit said.
According to Olwit, seed schools such as that in Angetta, have made youth who had dropped out enroll. Two hundred students are enrolled at the school.
“Can you ask yourself where they were before the setting up of the school? Now that the school has come, it has opened up opportunities for them to study,” he added.
He called upon parents to change their attitude towards education and not leave all the financial burdens on the government to get its numerous benefits.
“…send the children to school and support them in all ways so that they remain in school and complete the cycle,” he added.
Establishing the seed secondary schools in Alebtong cost shs 8bn, according to the government chief whip, Denis Hamson Obua, also the area Member of Parliament.
