Primary school in Lira embraces beekeeping to keep learners in school
LIRA CITY, August 13, 2026 — Orit Primary School in Agweng Subcounty, Lira district, has embarked on beekeeping as part of efforts to sustain its school feeding programme and keep learners in school.
According to Hamza Goigoi, the school’s headteacher, the idea to establish the apiary project was initiated by teachers, who contributed money to purchase 10 beehives. Foundation for Integrated Rural Development [FIRD], a local non-governmental organisation, donated another 10 beehives to the school.
Goigoi said the school feeding programme, which started in 2024, has boosted enrolment and academic performance, and the school expects more learners to join next year.
Parents contribute food items such as maize and beans to support the programme and help keep their children in school aided by government under Universal Primary Education [UPE], a programme that provides free primary education for children from poor households.
“Before I joined this school, children were not having lunch, and some would escape from classrooms to look for food in the neighbourhood and never return for classes. We therefore engaged parents on the importance of giving children lunch, which they accepted,” Goigoi said.
He said the feeding programme had also contributed to a significant improvement in learners’ academic performance.
“Our candidates used to perform poorly in Primary Leaving Examinations [PLE], with the majority being ungraded. But after we introduced the feeding programme, performance greatly improved from 2024. Last year, our candidates passed in Division Two, with only two in Division Three. This year, we are expecting some to attain Division One,” Goigoi said.
The headteacher said the beekeeping project would generate additional income to support the school feeding programme.
He added that the project would also provide learners with practical learning opportunities by allowing them to observe beekeeping activities rather than relying solely on pictures in textbooks.
“The beehives are also for study purposes. We don’t want learners to only look at pictures; we want them to see and learn everything about beekeeping,” he said.
Joyce Amule, the Secretary of Lira District Education, Health and Community Services, commended the school for embracing beekeeping and encouraged other schools to establish income-generating projects.
“I have been to Orit Primary School, and I can say that the school feeding programme is delivering positive results. I want to thank the school administration and parents for coming up with this programme, which helps learners to complete all their hours of learning every day. I encourage other schools in the district to emulate Orit Primary School,” Amule said.
Tony Acwera, the Lira District Inspector of Schools, also applauded partners such as FIRD for supporting initiatives aimed at keeping learners in school. Orit Primary School currently has 1,118 learners.
Denis Omunykol, the Programme Director at FIRD, said beekeeping will enable Orit Primary School and other schools to generate income instead of relying solely on government funding.
He said FIRD’s beekeeping project started in 2022 and, to date, the organisation has distributed about 3,000 beehives and other apiary equipment to schools and communities in Lira district.
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