By Our Reporter
AMURIA
With the new term starting today, Monday, April 25th, 2026, eleven parents and guardians from Morungatuny Sub County in Amuria District have been arrested and are now in custody at Amuria Central Police Station for failure to send their children to school.
This operation, spearheaded by the office of the Resident District Commissioner, Paul Eseru, in collaboration with the police, aims to address the concerning trend of parents delaying the enrollment of their children. Such delays have contributed to the rise of gang groups in the community and a noticeable decline in academic performance.
Reports indicate that only 45 out of 611 pupils from Odekere Primary School returned to class on the first day, with several classes completely devoid of learners. School officials informed the RDC that they had made efforts to encourage parents to send their children to school through various forums, including church announcements, but these efforts yielded little result, as not many students showed up.
Some parents explained that they were waiting for the school to finalize preparations and for their children to have clean uniforms or sufficient learning materials before sending them back in the coming days.
However, Eseru chose to arrest those without valid justifications, allowing forgiveness only for those with genuine reasons. The rest remain at Amuria CPS as they provide statements regarding the hindrance to the government’s Universal Primary Education (UPE) initiative.
This operation serves as a preliminary warning, with plans to extend similar actions to the sub-counties of Abarilela, Amolo, and Wera, where absenteeism has been a common issue.
The RDC calls on all parents and guardians to ensure their children attend school consistently, emphasizing the importance of education in the community.
Benson Ekwee Ocen, the Executive Director of the Public Affairs Centre of Uganda (PAC-Uganda), expressed concerns about the delayed return of learners to school at the start of terms.
He attributes this issue to a combination of inadequate regulations and inspections in schools, discrepancies in school fees, and the economic hardships that families are currently facing.
These challenges, along with the difficulties of managing educational institutions, lax public policies, and political factors, have led to directives from government officials such as RDCs and the president.
Ekwee pointed out that the presence of policymakers who are also school owners contributes to the problem, as various institutions, including government entities, are setting their own fee structures—often with some charging exorbitant rates.
He emphasized the need for the government to establish clearer guidelines for school operations, particularly in standardizing fees across the board, to ensure fair access to education for all students.
