Over 22,000 students miss learning materials in Amuru

Amuru, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A total of 22, 240 learners in Amuru district have missed learning materials being distributed by the Ministry of Education. The materials were distributed by the Ministry of Education and sports in order to maintain learning even as schools remain closed as a result of coronavirus disease – COVID-19.

Joyce Lanyero, the Amuru district education officer says the district has an enrollment of 41,376 in government primary schools and 12,900 in private and community schools. An estimate of 2,350  learners hails from districts outside Amuru.

However, the Ministry of Education only sent 5,626 copies of self-study material and Save the Children photocopied 21,400 copies for the learners. Lanyero says that up to 17,097 primary school learners have missed out on the learning materials.

She adds that they have an enrollment of 3,999 secondary students in government and private schools in the district with an estimate of at least 1,600 students hailing from the district but studying in other districts. She notes that the ministry only sent 456 copies leaving out 5,599 learners in secondary school.

She is now appealing to non-governmental organizations and individuals to come to the rescue of the learners and photocopy more copies especially for the candidate classes.

Nixon Oloya, a parent of three in Lajalula village Amuru sub-county Amuru district says he has resorted to using radio stations for his children to learn despite the difficulty in its signals. He says the clarity of the signals of the radios being used by the government is very poor.

Lucy Akello, Amuru district woman MP says what is transpiring shows how the government has failed to plan for its citizens. She says there`s a need for the local government to find ways of supporting the learners so that their future is not ruined.

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