ARUA-Delayed disbursement of teachers’ salaries is responsible for the poor performance of candidates in Arua district in last year’s Primary Leaving Examinations [PLE] that saw the district obtain only 12 first grades.
UNEB while releasing PLE results last Friday rated Arua district as the second worst, after Madi Okollo district in West Nile Sub-region.
The 2022 PLE results show Arua district realised a 50 percent reduction in performance compared to the academic year 2021. The district had only 12 candidates in grade 1, slightly above the new Madi Okollo that had only seven candidates in grade 1, despite Arua being the oldest district in West Nile.
Arua district senior education officer, Ronald Drani attributes the poor performance to delayed primary teachers’ salaries. “From February 2022 to the end of the year, we had more than 150 teachers who were not getting salaries. How do you expect such teachers to teach?” Adrani asked.
He said the delayed payment of teachers’ salaries was caused by the separation of the accounts of new administrative units that were carved out of the original Arua district.
“It was till December 2022, after writing to the Ministry of Public Service that we were given resources to resolve this mess,” Drani added, noting that the whole year was wasted as few teachers were in class and the situation was worsened by Uganda National Teachers Union [UNATU] industrial action.
Godfrey Okpobe who teaches the English language at Okpovu Primary School, Arivu Sub-county also attributes the poor PLE results to the delayed payment. “It is not our fault. How do you teach on an empty stomach? Even if you try, the learners will not understand since you are not in the mood to teach,” Okpovu noted.
He added: “Much as we are blaming the poor performance on delayed salaries of teachers, parents also need to support the education of their children by providing them with scholastic materials and timely payment of school dues.”
Meanwhile, Feni Twaib, the CEO West Nile Civil Society Organisation Network [WNCSN], has asked government to motivate teachers across the country if Uganda is to realise the desired education goal. “Education is primarily the responsibility of government. Let the motivation of teachers be done equally,” Feni noted.
In 2022 PLE, Arua city was the best in west Nile with 627 candidates passing in grade 1, Adjumani district was second with 219, Koboko Municipality, 149, Yumbe, 149, Koboko, 86, Pakwach, 75, Terego, 63, Moyo,54, Zombo, 51, Maracha, 50, Nebbi, 48, Nebbi Municipality, 43, Obongi, 13, Arua district, 12, and Madi Okollo 7.
https://thecooperator.news/hoima-city-schools-celebrate-impressive-performance-in-2022-ple/
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