Head teachers, School Management Committees (SMCs), and municipal leaders in Kitgum have warned that education standards in government primary schools could deteriorate if uncertainty surrounding Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) contributions persists. The concern follows recent remarks by Kitgum District Chairperson Tonny Blaire Toolit discouraging PTA charges, a move that school leaders say has created confusion among parents and significantly reduced voluntary contributions that are vital for the day-to-day running of schools.
School administrators say the decline in PTA collections has left many institutions struggling to meet basic operational costs. They report difficulties paying PTA-employed teachers, conducting continuous assessments, maintaining sanitation facilities, and financing co-curricular activities. Other challenges include chronic understaffing, the inability to support teachers with accommodation, overgrown school compounds, and overflowing pit latrines.
Samuel Oketa, Chairperson of the School Management Committee at Kitgum Primary School, said the Education Act empowers parents to support school operations where government funding falls short. He argued that continued PTA contributions remain the most practical way of addressing the current funding gaps and proposed a stakeholders’ meeting involving the district chairperson, Resident District Commissioner (RDC), and other leaders to harmonise their positions on the matter.
Mathew Ocen Akiya, Chairperson of the School Management Committee at Kitgum Public Primary School, said schools had been operating smoothly before the controversy over PTA payments emerged. He maintained that there is no law prohibiting parents from contributing towards school operations and called for broader engagement to allow district leaders to clearly explain their position to the public.
David Mukidi, Chairperson of the School Management Committee at Kitgum Prison Primary School, cautioned against politicising education, noting that parents’ contributions have over the years financed important infrastructure, including teachers’ houses and other school facilities. He said decisions affecting school funding should be handled carefully because they directly impact children’s education.
Maro Robb Okot, the PTA Chairperson at Kitgum Public Primary School, said the municipality’s consistently strong examination performance has largely been supported by activities financed through PTA contributions. He warned that withdrawing such support would likely affect the quality of education.
David Livingstone Obita, Chairperson of the School Management Committee at Kitgum Girls Primary School, welcomed plans for a consultative meeting and urged authorities to extend similar engagements to communities to address parents’ concerns and clear up the confusion surrounding the payments. Kitgum Municipality’s Acting Principal Education Officer, Michael West Olanya, said the municipality is already grappling with staffing shortages following the transfer of several senior education officers, adding that uncertainty over PTA contributions has further strained school finances.
Olanya stressed that education is a shared responsibility between the government and communities. He also revealed that low pupil enrolment captured in the Electronic Management Information System (EMIS) has reduced the municipality’s development grants, urging schools to improve the accuracy of their enrolment records. He further argued that any decision affecting PTA contributions should be made through formal resolutions of the district council rather than through individual political pronouncements.
Stephen Ocakacon, the Municipal Secretary for Education, Health and Community Services, said earlier stakeholder meetings had resolved that parents should continue making PTA contributions. However, conflicting public statements had continued to create uncertainty. He said the council’s position remains unchanged, with parents encouraged to continue supporting schools through PTA contributions while teachers maintain the existing arrangements until official guidance is issued.
Kitgum Municipality Mayor Richard Okwera Ojara defended the legality of PTA contributions, arguing that they are recognised under the Education Act, 2008, and that only Parliament has the authority to amend the law. He warned that any attempt by local authorities to undermine provisions of the Act would fall outside the legal framework. Ojara added that the RDC supports both teachers and parents on the issue and pledged continued engagement with all stakeholders to ensure that learning is not disrupted.
The mayor announced that a district-wide stakeholders’ meeting involving the LCV chairperson, RDC, and other leaders will be held on July 2 to forge a common position on the matter. Despite the ongoing funding uncertainty, Ojara challenged school managers to maintain and improve academic performance while efforts continue to resolve the impasse over PTA contributions-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
