By Morish Dramadri

Arua

Madi Okollo district public service is grappling with a staffing gap of over 700 teachers to serve in the 78 primary schools in the district that are currently being served by less than 10 teachers per school leaving a huge teacher pupil ratio.

Following the elevation of the then Madi Okollo County to district status in 2020, the schools in the district are still being served by the staff previously posted by the then Arua district to what they had termed as the hard to reach area for underperforming in the other parts of the then district.

During the second Madi Okollo District Education Forum Organization MADEFO stakeholders’ engagement over the weekend in Rigbo sub county headquarters, Luiji Oledra Dracaku the head teacher of Rigbo primary school said this has greatly affected their work. “In some schools you may only find five teachers from primary one to seven. When the five teachers occupy the five classes, the two classes will remain without teachers and it is making us not to perform well,” Luiji said.

George Ayiba the Madi Okollo district education officer admitted that the district has a lot of staffing gap that needs to be filled. “Madi Okollo has 670 teachers in post, we lack 707 teachers. For Madi Okollo to perform well there is need for affirmative action of recruiting 707 teachers. What miracle can the four teachers perform in school set up?” Ayiba wondered.


Hon. Ronald Afidra Olema, Lower Madi County MP reacting on the issue of delayed recruitment in the district

Recruitment of new staff comes in line with the decision of the ministry of public service. Hon. Ronald Afidra Olema the Member of Parliament for lower Madi County in reply pronounced they have advocated for the recruitment of the teachers in the district. “The teacher pupil ratio in Madi Okollo is the least, one teacher to close to 250 people per class and yet the agreed position of the government is that one teacher should be teaching 45 people. We have advocated for more recruitment of teachers affirmatively.” Hon. Ronald pronounced.

COVER PHOTO: Madi Okollo DEO, George Ayiba stressing the shortage of teachers in the district By Morish Dramadri