Moroto district leaders have embarked on a campaign to ensure that all the children of school-going age are enrolled in schools to improve on the worrying levels of drop-out rates in the region.
Paul Apul, the Moroto District Education Officer says the campaign is in response to the poor turn-up of children to schools across the district since the new term opened two weeks ago.
He said the low turn-up is worrying and adding onto the already very high rate of school drop-out in the region.
The DEO says in their recent school inspections, they found that less than 50% of the total enrolment in the schools in the district had returned to school since first term opened on January 30th.
He adds that the district leaders together with education stakeholders in the district sat and resolved that an education ordinance be instituted and mass campaign to drive children back to school be conducted across the district.
Apul attributes the high school drop-out rates in the district to a cut on relief food to children in school by the UN World Food program last term.
He said most children did not finish third term last year after World Food Program suddenly announced a cut of its food supplies to schools.
He explained that the “Go Back To School” campaign being funded by UNICEF includes among others, a selected district committee comprising school inspectors, local leaders, district and sub county councilors moving around to all the sub counties in the district to encourage parents to send their children to school.
He said they are also explaining to parents and children their roles, that of the district and central government in the education of their children and also the importance of education in Karamoja region that has the highest rate of illiteracy in the country.
He said they are optimistic that the one month campaign may be fruitful.
However, some parents have blamed the high school drop-out on the high cost of living which is biting them hard.
Lotukon Alex, a resident of labour-line in Moroto municipality says some parents cannot to even afford to buy school requirements for their children like uniform, books and others. He says such parents prefer to keep their children at home to help them with domestic work like herding their animals.
Saidi Lokwii, a resident of Camp Swahili blames the poor school turn-up on some school administration officials whom he accused of putting some unexplained extra charges on parents.
He said some schools are abusing the free education program by charging monies that parents in the region cannot afford to pay.
Mark Aol, the Moroto district LC 5 chairperson says the district is currently drafting an education ordinance which he says would help address the gaps in the education sector in the district.
