By KT Reporter
Authorities in Lango have advised secondary schools to invest in coffee and cocoa growing as a way of boosting income and equipping students with practical skills for life after school.
Highlighting the government’s promotion of coffee and cocoa as high-value crops, schools have been urged to establish demonstration gardens where students can learn modern farming techniques.
Jane Obeny, the Lira City Education Officer, emphasized the need to shift from focusing only on academic success to also fostering sustainable livelihoods.
“Tomorrow, when they go out and they have not achieved so well in academics and there are no white-collar jobs, they can go into growing cocoa and coffee, and at the end of the day, they may expand the program and get the money,” she said. Referring to the Secondary School Head Teachers Association’s slogan, “The Nation is because we are,” Obeny stressed that combining practical skills with strong character will help students earn respect in society and reduce youth involvement in crime.
“By teaching students how to earn a living, we can steer them away from street gangs and negative behaviors,” she said. Sam Bob Okino, the head teacher of Lango College, welcomed the advice, noting that his school, with support from the Ministry of Education and Sports, is already implementing a greening program. He added that the plan is to extend the initiative to nearby communities, with seedlings raised by students themselves.
“We have also introduced cassava—over 5 acres—to cater for the diet of the students,” Okino added. Isaac Ocoo, head teacher of Lira Secondary School, said the new curriculum emphasizes practical skills. “Our students manage a piggery project, which teaches them valuable life lessons. We are also promoting horticulture to help them earn income, and we’re excited to add coffee and cocoa gardens,” Ocoo said.
Meanwhile, Santa Ateng, a senior education officer at the Ministry of Education and Sports, reminded schools to adopt climate-friendly practices. She noted that climate change disproportionately affects women and urged teachers to create greener environments.
“All schools use firewood, yet they haven’t planted any trees to replace what they are using, leading to the exhaustion of biomass,” Ateng said. Uganda is Africa’s second-largest coffee producer, earning over 20 percent of its export revenue from the crop. By 2021, cocoa production stood at 39,000 metric tons and is projected to reach 45,000 metric tons by 2026.
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