By KT Reporter
Katakwi Township Primary School, located in Katakwi Town Council, Katakwi District, is grappling with a severe shortage of classrooms as hundreds of learners are forced to study under trees. School authorities say that growing academic success and recent infrastructural improvements have led to a sharp rise in enrollment. This year, the school has attracted 1,824 pupils — 951 girls and 873 boys — compared to only 724 in 2022.
Since Headteacher Samuel Ogwere assumed office in 2022, the school has experienced consistent growth in numbers: from 724 in 2022, to 1,094 in 2023, then 1,465 in 2024, and now 1,824. In terms of academic performance, four Primary Seven candidates passed in Division One in 2022, six in 2023, and eight last year. Ogwere attributes the rising enrollment to improved performance and the fencing of the school compound in 2024, a development supported by Vice President Jessica Alupo.
She also helped secure five plots of land for the school at 28 million shillings. Currently, Primary One has 326 pupils, Primary Three has 323, and Primary Four has 397. Ogwere says these classes urgently require nine additional classrooms to split them into three streams each. Primary Two and Primary Five also need to be divided into two streams each.
In total, the school needs 21 classrooms but has only seven. As a result, pupils in Primary Three and Five continue to study under cashew and mango trees, making learning nearly impossible during rainy weather. During a recent fundraising event aimed at completing a two-classroom Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) block valued at over 60 million shillings, only 1.2 million shillings was raised.
This was in addition to a prior contribution of 19 million shillings from parents, which helped raise the structure to the beam level. Vice President Alupo donated 50 bags of cement, while other schools contributed 15 bags, and Katakwi Town Council provided 25 iron sheets, among other support. Despite the absence of most political leaders — including aspiring Members of Parliament — Ogwere reiterated the school’s ongoing need for support to resolve the classroom crisis.
Affected pupils, including Vivian Akiror, Keren Petua Achan, and Felisia Angela, appealed to the government and political leaders for help. They described the challenges of studying under trees, especially during rain, which exposes them to cold and discomfort.
PTA Chairperson Charles Joseph Ekume said each parent had been asked to contribute 10,000 shillings to support the construction of the new classroom block. He urged well-wishers to continue donating, noting that it was the parents’ responsibility to help develop the school. Zadoki Akutu, the LC3 Chairperson of Katakwi Town Council, represented the Vice President at the fundraising event. He delivered the 50 bags of cement and called on parents to prioritize education.
Founded in 1979 by a community of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Katakwi Township Primary School initially operated with just two classrooms. The government later expanded the school in 1986 by constructing seven additional classrooms. However, with the current enrollment, the facilities remain far from adequate-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
