Buliisa grapples with teacher shortage as boys fail PLE at Kiryandongo school
He explained that many learners spend lunchtime playing football because they have no meals, which affects their concentration and academic performance.
Buliisa: The education department in Buliisa District is struggling with a significant shortage of teachers, a situation officials say is negatively affecting learners’ academic performance.
According to Sophia Kabonesa, the Buliisa district inspector of schools, the district currently has 375 teachers out of the required 470, leaving a shortfall of about 100 teachers.
The shortage is more pronounced in secondary schools, where some institutions operate with only nine teachers instead of the recommended 22.
Kabonesa said headteachers have been forced to mobilize parents to contribute funds through Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) to recruit qualified teachers on temporary arrangements.
She added that the district continues to petition the government for an expanded wage bill to enable recruitment of more staff.
However, retaining teachers remains a challenge. Many educators reportedly use Buliisa as a stepping stone to secure government positions elsewhere, working for a few years before seeking transfers, which leaves the district understaffed again.
Kabonesa noted that the persistent shortage is affecting education quality, particularly in schools with high enrolment.
Meanwhile, concerns over academic performance have emerged in Kiryandongo District, where all boys who sat for the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) at Wakisanyi Primary School failed to obtain a grade. The school reportedly recorded zero passes among male candidates, with all scoring U (Ungraded).
The matter came to light during a meeting with Kibanda South Member of Parliament Jacob Karubanga.
Speaking at the meeting, Richard Sabiiti, a teacher at Wakisanyi Primary School, attributed the poor performance partly to the lack of lunch for pupils.
He explained that many learners spend lunchtime playing football because they have no meals, which affects their concentration and academic performance.
Sabiiti also highlighted the high teacher-pupil ratio in Kiryandongo, estimated at 1:70, compared to the recommended 1:45 in other districts. He appealed for the recruitment of more teachers and salary enhancements, describing the working conditions as alarming.
In response, MP Karubanga pledged to advocate for improved salaries but clarified that science teachers may not receive equal pay to arts teachers.
On the issue of staffing levels, he asked teachers to prepare a comprehensive comparative report with other districts to support their case for additional recruitment, acknowledging that teacher shortages remain a nationwide concern.
Story filed by Flavia Ajok and Innocent Atuganyira
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