Katakwi districts celebrates success in UCE exams

The Vice President, Jessica Alupo, who is also the Woman Member of Parliament (MP) Katakwi District, led the celebrations and congratulated students who passed highly.

Rising out of the COVID-19 challenge, the celebration was seen as a timely gesture.

Alupo who gave mattresses and school metallic boxes to each of the 151 learners that got first grade also gave other pupils monetary tokens in appreciation.

She thanked parents for letting their children access school, especially that there had been reports of school dropout due to the COVID pandemic.

In what is seen as a huge leap in performances, the Vice President noted that the figures of success had grown drastically in comparison to previous years.

“Previously, we as leaders could celebrate a few first graders, but today we are here to thank over 150. Not just first graders though, we are here to congratulate all other winners,” she said adding that since the introduction of Universal Education, its success is manifested in the district.

“Many of these children are from Universal Secondary Education, Katakwi doesn’t have many private institutions,” Alupo said.

However, she decried school dropouts allegedly due to school fees.

“Government at every beginning of a term, sends capitation funds to schools, Children must be in school because it is free education,” she said.

Alupo urged leaders to attract development partners into the district and also asked communities to join hands and guide all children going back to school to avoid drop out cases.

The Vice President also rallied for improved student-teacher ratio, saying every school must have a corresponding ratio to avoid Parents Teachers’ Association own teacher recruitment.

She reminded the residents of Government’s commitment to establish a secondary school at all sub counties and consequently recruit more for primary schools for rural areas like Angolekit, Angisa (all in Katakwi) among others.

Alupo asked parents to engage in commercial production.

“It will be very easy for parents to facilitate their children with school items like exercise book, pens and pencils among others if there is money in the household,” she said.

She encouraged children to carry food to schools, and asked Parents with Children with Disabilities to let them go to school as well

“Don’t hide children with disability at home, let them access school."