40 schools allowed to reopen in Omoro district

Omoro, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Education authorities in Omoro have approved 40 out of 120 schools in the district and four technical institutes to reopen for final year learners on Thursday. 

The schools scored over 60 per cent of the recommended Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) issued the Ministry of Education and Sports to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Rev. Vincent Ocheng Ocen, the District Education Officer – DEO says a 12-member technical committee has endorsed and issued a certificate of compliance to 30 out 78 primary schools; 10 out of 17 secondary schools and four vocational institutions. The vocation institutions include St Martine Vocational Training Center, Labora Youth Development Center and Bobi Community Polytechnic.

Rev. Ocheng disclosed that 12 more schools will not open due to lack of water facilities and financial constraints. The remaining 64 schools only scored less than 50 per cent of the requirements and will be subject to another round of inspection after 14 days. 

According to schools’ inspection report presented by the District on Tuesday revealed that most schools share water points with the communities, grazing on school land, impassable roads and broken boreholes as key findings that may hinder reopening of some schools.

John Bosco Akera, the Chief Administrative Officer issued a directive to the District Water Department to assess all the broken boreholes are repair them urgently. The four schools with broken boreholes include Lakwana Primary, Lujorawinyi Primary, Parak Primary and Wii-Aceng Primary.

George Oryang, the Director of Graceland Girls’ Secondary in Ongako Sub-County, one of the schools that won’t reopen to finalist students due to funding limitations says they haven’t recovered from the prolonged lockdown measures.

The Omoro Resident District Commissioner Susan Akany, says seven schools will not reopen and parents are advised to relocate their children to the nearest neighbouring schools. They are Bright Ross Primary, King George Primary, Hill Primary, Ogwari Primary, Mercy Village Primary, St Paul Acet Primary and Lubangaber Primary.

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