Primary schools in Kitgum and Lamwo districts are grappling with a shortage of teachers as a result of the staff ceiling policy introduced by Ministry of Education.
Several schools, which were already understaffed, have had their number of their teachers reduced further to meet the ministerial guideline.
As a result l schools in Kitgum are short of the required teaching staff to handle the growing number of pupils.
Odong Kamilo, the head teacher of Palabek Kal primary school says that his school has been greatly affected by staff ceiling introduced by the ministry.
Kamilo says that his school has over one thousand pupils with 19 teachers.
He says as a result of the new policy he can not recruit new teachers which is affecting the performance of his school.
//Cue in: "it is really very difficult...
Cue out: "...the performance in schools//"
Ben Oyela, the head teachers of Mucwini primary school says that situation is worse in his school.
Oyela says each class in his school has over three streams with over 100 pupils each, yet the number of teachers has been reduced from 27 to 24.
Oyela says that he has pleaded with the district education office to post more teachers in vain, because of the government policy.
//Cue in: "the situation in my school is worst"
Cue out: "...the teachers are not enough//
In prisons primary school, there are only 11 teachers handling a population of over one thousand pupils.
In Likiliki primary school there are only four teachers handling all the classes.
With the introduction of thematic curriculum, at least two teachers are permanently assigned to handle primary one and two classes, leaving two teachers to share the rest of classes.
Christopher Obalim, the Lamwo, the DEO declined to comment on the matter when URN visited his office.
