Irritated parents and councilors in Mukujju Sub- County, Tororo District, on Monday, forced two head teachers out of their offices over poor performance in the 2024 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).
The affected head teachers, Beatrice Apadet of Odikai Primary School and Martin Odeke of Morkiswa Primary School in Kisoko Sub- County were confronted after all 43 candidates from their schools who sat for the exams scored 36 aggregates. This dismal performance enraged parents and local leaders.
Led by Mukujju Sub- County LC3 Chairperson Wilson Obonyo, commonly known as Songa, the councilors stormed the schools on Monday morning, forcing Apadet out of her office.
They then handed over temporary leadership to her deputy, Sarah Ajore, pending intervention from district authorities regarding her transfer.
The councilors accused Apadet of presiding over a decline in enrollment from 504 pupils to less than 200, misplacing the school’s phone, possessing three different school stamps, and failing to cooperate with the School Management Committee (SMC) for effective planning.
Gaitano Obella, a parent, expressed frustration over the school’s continuous poor performance in PLE for the past three years.
He revealed that last year, Odikai Primary School did not even register a single candidate for Primary Seven.
Similarly, Samuel Osende of Morkiswa Primary School criticized the teachers, alleging that they report to school at midday and leave at 3:00 PM, giving them little time to engage with pupils effectively.
Alice Awori, the Vice Chairperson of the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) at Odikai Primary School, noted that several meetings had been held to address these concerns, but no solutions had been implemented.
Mukujju Sub- County Chairperson Assa Wilson Obonyo called upon district education officials to urgently intervene so that learning can return to normal.
In response, Beatrice Apadet defended herself, arguing that improving student performance requires collective efforts from parents, teachers, and the government.
She attributed the poor results to parents’ unwillingness to provide lunch, books, and pens for their children. She also denied allegations of reporting late to school, saying her detractors were tarnishing her reputation.
Tororo District LC V Chairperson John Okea confirmed the incidents and revealed that he had engaged the District Education Officer (DEO) regarding the matter.
He stated that both head teachers would soon be transferred as a disciplinary measure.
Okea, however, noted that despite the challenges, Tororo District performed better in the 2024 PLE compared to previous years, with 218 candidates attaining Division One, up from 168 in the previous year.
Attempts to reach the Tororo District Education Officer for comment were unsuccessful.
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