Buliisa district decries shortage of teachers
BULIISA, February 25, 2025 –– Authorities in Buliisa district have called on government to lift a ban recruitment of more teachers, saying it would address the ongoing shortage in the district. The leaders assert that this shortage of the teachers is having a detrimental effect on students’ performance in the district.
Speaking at a scholarship handover ceremony hosted by TotalEnergies last week, which awarded scholarships to the best girls in the 2024 Primary Leaving Examination [PLE], Buliisa district LCV Chairperson, Fred Lukumu said there is a shortfall of at least four to five teachers at every government-aided primary school in the district.
”Buliisa district has 31 government-aided primary schools, with each school employing at least 10 teachers, well below the required 15 per school,” Lukumu said.
He attributed the shortage to a government ban on the recruitment of additional teaching staff, as well as factors such as low salaries, the lack of staff accommodation, and inadequate classroom infrastructure, all of which discourage teachers from working in the oil-rich Bunyoro region where TotalEnergies and other stakeholders have various activities going on to enable Uganda produce its first oil.
“In Buliisa district, we are not at the point where one teacher is responsible for teaching 52 pupils, as is often required. In some cases, one teacher is left to teach 100, 150, or even 200 pupils, and this has a negative impact on our education standards and student performance,” Lukumu said.
Regarding the scholarships, Lukumu commended TotalEnergies for the initiative and encouraged the beneficiaries to take full advantage of this opportunity. He pointed out that many children would benefit from such opportunities but are unable to access them due to financial constraints.
He stressed the need for parents to prioritise education as a way to prepare their children to seize opportunities in the oil and gas sector. Despite Buliisa being a hub for oil and gas, he noted that the district suffers from high dropout rates, which jeopardises the future of its people, potentially causing them to miss out on numerous opportunities.
Chris Ochowun, the Public Relations Officer for TotalEnergies Uganda, announced that the scholarship beneficiaries would be supported through their O-Level studies at St Andrea Kaahwa’s College in Hoima City.
The 20 beneficiaries were girls who had excelled in the 2024 PLE in Buliisa and Nwoya districts which host TotalEnergies’ Tilenga project.
Ochowun revealed that in addition to a four-year scholarship, each student would receive a mattress, a dozen petroleum jelly, a dozen bars of laundry soap, scholastic materials, transport, pocket money, and medical insurance, among other essentials.
He further explained that the scholarships specifically target the top female performers in Primary Seven from vulnerable families.
TotalEnergies’ scholarship programme began in 2017, following the discovery that girls were disproportionately disadvantaged in terms of education in the two districts.
Ochowun explained that in 2013, the company introduced local scholarships for Advanced Level students, but soon realised that the scholarships predominantly benefitted boys, leaving girls excluded.
“As the years went on, we realised that all the beneficiaries were boys. So, in 2017, we made a deliberate effort to promote the education and empowerment of the girl child. We started with five scholarships but increased the number to ten due to high demand. Since 2015, we have supported 103 girls at O-Level from Nwoya and Buliisa districts,” he added.
From 2013 to the present, 327 beneficiaries from Nwoya, Buliisa, Pakwach, and Masindi districts have benefited from both the O-Level and A-Level scholarship schemes.
The Buliisa District Education Officer [DEO], Tyson Kasangaki, expressed his gratitude to TotalEnergies Uganda for their commitment to this initiative, noting that it encourages learners at all levels to strive harder in their academic pursuits. He shared that over 300 students had applied for the scholarships, but only 20 were successful.
He further noted that, five years ago, around 80 children would start Primary One, but only 20 would complete their education. However, with the intervention of TotalEnergies, a much larger number of pupils, particularly girls, are now able to start and complete their Primary Seven education.
Kasangaki also urged TotalEnergies to consider extending support to the boy child, as many education initiatives tend to prioritise girls, leaving boys at a disadvantage.
He cautioned the beneficiaries to avoid falling into negative peer groups while at school, which could jeopardise their ability to continue with their education and benefit from future scholarship opportunities at the Advanced Level.
Two of the scholarship recipients, Consulate Ongiera and Eunice Asiimwe, expressed their gratitude to TotalEnergies, saying that the scholarship had come at a critical time when they had lost hope of continuing their education due to financial constraints.
Ongiera, who comes from a humble background and is raised by a single mother, said: “I thank TotalEnergies for the opportunity they have given me. Completing Primary Seven was a challenge for me because my parents were financially unable to support me. I had no hope of joining secondary education, but with TotalEnergies’ support, I am excited to be part of the students to joine one of the best secondary schools in the region.”
https://thecooperator.news/buliisa-fishermen-irked-over-hurry-up-fishing-ban/
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