English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
By Jaspher Obua, Parish Social Communicator, Otwal Parish
Parents of Otwal Primary School in Oyam District have resolved to contribute Shs 19,000 per pupil per term to support school operations and development, despite a Ministry of Education guideline restricting additional charges imposed on parents.
The resolution was unanimously adopted during an emergency Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) general meeting convened at the school yesterday by PTA Chairperson Nicholas Ogwal, following concerns that the Shs 6,500 allocated per pupil was insufficient to meet the school’s operational and development needs.
Speaking during the meeting, Ogwal said he had received a letter from the district authorities prohibiting the collection of additional money from parents. However, he argued that the limited resources provided to the school could not adequately support its activities.
He therefore appealed to parents to contribute towards the development of Otwal Primary School to supplement government funding. Following deliberations, the parents agreed to establish a PTA Development Fund of Shs 19,000 per pupil per term.
The LC1 Chairperson of Otwal Trading Centre A, where the school is located, Joshua Ojok, defended the proposed contribution, saying the fund would facilitate school development projects that might not be covered by government funding.
Ojok commended the parents for supporting the resolution, noting that their contributions would help supplement funding for other essential school activities.
The school’s headteacher, Alex Agel, also defended the PTA Development Fund, citing Section 9, subsections (1), (2) and (3) of the Education Act, which he said provides for parental contributions towards school development through PTA arrangements.
Meanwhile, Betty Owani, the district councillor representing Otwal and Aleka sub-counties, said education stakeholders would formally notify the Oyam District Education Department about the parents’ resolution.
Owani said they would write to the department to communicate the decision and bring the matter to the attention of the relevant authorities.
Otwal Primary School currently has an enrolment of 960 pupils, comprising 477 boys and 483 girls, served by 18 teachers.
The resolution highlights the growing concerns over the adequacy of government funding for public schools. However, the parents’ decision to introduce the Shs 19,000 per-term contribution raises questions about compliance with education financing guidelines, the affordability of additional charges for families and the need for consultation with district education authorities before the collection is implemented.
END