By GNNA reporter
Gulu
Parents in Unyama and Patiko sub-counties in Gulu district are using the dry season to make bricks for building classroom blocks and teachers’ houses to prevent learners and teachers from walking long distances to school.
Thousands of learners in rural Uganda trek several kilometers to school, while others are forced to stay home because of the distance to schools. To bridge this gap, parents are offering land and laying bricks to build schools nearby.
In Patiko Sub-County, parents in Akwii and Pawel-Agany villages in Pawel Parish, under their slogan, “Building Uganda should not be left to President Museveni alone,” are laying bricks under the supervision of area leaders, to bring education services closer.
Samuel Mwaka, the councilor V representing Patiko Sub-County, revealed that more than 1,000 children of school-going age miss school because of long distance.
According to Mwaka, the Kiju Primary, the nearest school in Akwii Village is six kilometers away, and the second nearest, Pawel Angany primary school, is eight Kilometers away.
He revealed that a family has donated 10 acres of land on which the community has already laid 6,800 bricks to erect a semi-permanent structure for the children to use in the next school year.
“Our target is to lay at least 15, 000 bricks to construct a four-classroom block for the early learners by the return of the rainy season,” Mwaka said.
Wilfred Ochora, one of the parents who is participating in the exercise, said they have set every Wednesday and Saturday as days for laying bricks.
Ochora who is also the Vice Chairperson LC1 of the Akwii Village, said that at least 600 children from his village have missed school this year because of the distance to school.
In Unyama Sub-County, the community is striving towards constructing grass-thatched huts for teachers so they to stay within the school, to reduce absenteeism and missed lessons.
Justine Kidega, the Unyama Sub-County Chairperson said Agung Community Primary School was built in 2022 by a similar intervention of the community.
Kidega however said this year, they refocused on constructing teachers’ houses in the entire sub-county.
He said that four out of 16 teachers were already benefiting from Unyama Primary School, while six houses are being constructed at Angaya Primary School, Coopil Primary School is at the foundation level, and Ogul Primary School is still in the planning stage.
District Inspector of School Comments on the Move
Jackline Akello, the Gulu District Inspector of Schools, applauded the parents in Gulu for rising to work towards improving Education in the district.
Akello said such interventions shall increase the infrastructure and literacy levels because there are few schools to support the population.
Political Leaders in Support of the Move
Patrick Komakech, the Chairperson of Patiko Sub- County said that the sub-county has a total population of 19,000 locals with young people making up almost half of that population including school-going children who should be in school.
Comas James Okidi, the Gulu Deputy Resident District Commissioner commended the community on their endeavors and urged them to continue to support the education sector, as they wait for the government’s intervention which always takes a long time.
