By Matthew Okello
TORORO
The Defense Minister Jacob Oboth Oboth has initiated a move to save his former secondary school, Kiyeyi High School in Tororo district from collapsing.
The school located 25 kilometers West of Tororo town in his West Budama Central constituency was once a centre for academic excellence where it produced a number of academicians who served and others now serving government in highly placed positions.
The Minister commenced his move on Tuesday, 4th June 2024 by meeting teachers, parents and other education stakeholders to discuss issues affecting learning and teaching at school and to suggest solutions that can aid revamping of the lost glory.
He said as a former student, he is not happy to see the school that gave him a strong foundation going into a dustbin when even schools that had no future are now thriving into greater heights.
While addressing a crisis meeting, Oboth said as an old student, he is going to champion a reunion of all old students to see that the school is saved so that their children can trace the roots of their former schools.
Milton Oketcho Ajoke ,the school head teacher looked defensive of his teachers over poor performance of learners in national examinations but the minister rubbished the claims adding that the arguments fronted especially failures by parents to contribute to teacher’s welfare do not merit and described it as corruption.
Oboth warned the school administration against levying of illegal charges unless its provided for by law adding that what he knows is learners are supposed to study for free to avoid disenfranchising them from accessing education.
The Minister commended the current Board of Governors which is headed by the former permanent secretary in the office of Prime Minister, Martine Odwedo for the little improvement they have caused into the school.
He noted that the school has been operating for the last four years without the board convening parents’ general meetings.
During the meeting, it was heard that the school has consistently failed to produce learners in first grade and parents attributed the poor state of the school to poor administration by the school head teacher which has caused a lot of laxity among the teachers and learners.
Aggrey Demba Odoi, a parent, accused the head teacher of being irregular at school and that his being irregular at the duty station has given room for teachers to start drinking as early as 9:00 am.
Martine Odwedo appealed to the parents to play their role of providing scholastic materials adding that some of the parents send children to school without these materials but expect good results from them.
The Tororo Resident District Commissioner, Owole Nixon equally warned government schools against levying learners’ fees when they are not supposed to pay.
He said the government pays teachers across the country the same salary and he does not see the reason why parents are bothered to cater for teachers’ extra pay when they are doing almost nothing.
