Female students have overwhelmingly dominated the list of learners admitted under the 2026/2027 Government District Quota Scheme in Lira District, while neighboring Otuke District has failed to register a single female beneficiary under the same program.
The Government District Quota Scheme is designed to enable academically outstanding but financially disadvantaged students from every district to access public university education. Candidates are selected on merit through the Joint Admissions Board based on district allocations.
In Lira, seven of the eight students admitted under the scheme are female, representing nearly 90 percent of the district’s beneficiaries. The successful candidates are Lakisa Juvian Comfort, admitted to pursue a Bachelor of Science with Education (Biology) at Makerere University; Daisy Angom, Bachelor of Biomedical Laboratory Technology at Makerere University; Jessica Akello, Bachelor of Midwifery at Lira University.
The others are Gabriella Alira, Bachelor of Science with Education (Biology and Chemistry) at Makerere University; Flavia Akullu Akedi, Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Aquaculture at Makerere University; Acen Rebecca, Bachelor of Arts with Education at Kyambogo University; Auma Naume Faith, Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at Soroti University; and Oscar Okello, who will pursue a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at Gulu University.
Lira District Chairperson Richard Cox Maxwell (RCM) Okello Orik welcomed the strong performance by female learners but expressed concern over the imbalance in the admissions. He noted that whereas the Joint Admissions Board conducted the selection, Lira District itself secured only two quota slots while Lira City accounted for six, with all the successful students coming from St. Gracious Secondary School in Anai, located within the city.
Okello questioned whether the current arrangement fairly represents learners from the wider district, arguing that rural schools continue to be disadvantaged despite sharing the same district quota allocation.
The district chairperson attributed the low number of successful male candidates to weaker academic performance, saying girls are increasingly demonstrating greater commitment to their studies. He also cited affirmative action policies, including the additional points awarded to female candidates during university admission, as contributing factors. However, he stressed that government and stakeholders should ensure equal educational opportunities for both boys and girls to enable every child to compete fairly.
Lira District Secretary for Health and Education Joyce Amule linked the trend to declining enrolment of boys in primary schools and changing parental attitudes toward education. According to Amule, many families have increasingly prioritized educating girls following years of campaigns promoting girl-child education. She also observed that girls often receive more scholastic support than boys, a factor she believes has contributed to their improved academic performance.
She challenged parents to invest equally in the education of all their children and reminded them that admission under the district quota scheme is strictly merit-based. One of the parents, Christine Anono, whose daughter secured admission to pursue a Bachelor of Science with Education (Biology and Chemistry), applauded government policies promoting women’s education.
She encouraged parents to avoid discrimination between boys and girls, saying every child deserves equal support to achieve their academic potential.
In sharp contrast, neighboring Otuke District did not produce a single female student under this year’s Government District Quota Scheme. The six beneficiaries from the district are all male. They include Edmond Odongo, admitted to pursue a Bachelor of Science with Education (Biology) at Kyambogo University; Walter Odongo, Bachelor of Science in Biology at Gulu University; Morris Apili, Bachelor of Statistics at Makerere University; Ivan Otim, Bachelor of Vocational Studies in Agriculture with Education at Kyambogo University; Innocent Opaka, Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Design at Kyambogo University; and Gerald Alobo, Bachelor of Computer Science at Lira University.
Speaking while officiating at the approval of the district quota list, Otuke District Vice Chairperson and Leader of Government Business, Gasper Okello, described the students’ performance as commendable but acknowledged the absence of female beneficiaries. To encourage academic excellence, Okello announced that the district will reward its two best-performing government-aided secondary schools.
Okwang Secondary School will be recognized for producing four students admitted under the quota scheme, while Adwari Secondary School will be rewarded after producing two successful candidates. He praised the schools for their strong performance, particularly in science subjects, saying they had outperformed several urban schools. Okello also advised the admitted students to remain focused throughout their university studies, warning them against negative peer pressure, reckless lifestyles and behaviors that could derail their education.
The contrasting outcomes in Lira and Otuke have reignited debate over gender balance in education, with district leaders calling for renewed efforts to ensure both boys and girls have equal opportunities to access quality education from primary school through university. Education leaders say improving enrolment, retention and academic performance for all learners will be critical if more students are to benefit from future government sponsorship opportunities-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
