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Katakwi:A total of 43 Young girls and boys from different schools have been awarded for their outstanding perfomance in the recently released Uganda Certificate of Examination results.
The youngsters from different secondary schools within Katakwi district were awarded with mattresses and suit cases for attaining first grade and for inspiring their young peers.
Vice President Jessica Alupo, also woman MP led the celebrations that were hosted at Priscilla Secondary School in the presence of district officials, educationists and parents.
“Education is the best gift anyone can give to any child. Today as we congratulate our children, I want to tell you all that Government policies on education like putting a primary school in every parish., secondary school in every sub county and technical school in every county will be implemented in a phased manner”, she said.
She thanked private schools for working hand in hand with Government secondary schools by sharing equipments and other resources.
She urged parents to take their children to seed schools being constructed by government. Over the recent past, several seed schools have been launched as part of Government’s commitment to boost education in the country.
The Vice President also advised the congregation to consider technical education as equally important. “You the learners must be flexible”, she counseled, as she requested owners of education institutions not to charge high fees for education. “Do not send children out of school due to lack of payment of fees, lack of uniform, shoes , school requirements among others. Let the parents look for these as children are in school” Alupo said.
On captation grants,an issue raised earlier, the Vice President said these will always be sent to school even though there is missmatch on the finance calendar and education calendar.
Further, Alupo rallied parents to embrace other farming practices like fish farming among others-as a source of money, but also for wealth creation.
Alupo promised to support the construction of the girls dormitory in Pricilla girls secondary school and continually lobby for scholarships in different schools.
She urged cultural and religious institutions to support education saying teenage pregnancies is not cultural and reitariated Government’s commitment to upgrade health centers in sub counties to health center IIIs from health center IIs.
Bosco Okiror-the MP Usuk county who was also present at the awarding event said, parents should stop sitting in the bars drinking discussing issues that don’t create development in their locality.
He donated 50 bags of cement for the construction of girls dormitory at Priscilla SS.
Okiror highlighted challenges within Katakwi, saying when a school performs well, best performing teachers are transfered without replacement yet we need sustained good performance.
He donated Sh200,000 to each of the first graders in his constituency
The RDC Karenga Filbert Ocailap was poetic in praise for Government; pointing out electricity in Katakwi which has led to improved performances in schools, in Katakwi district, the women entrepreneurship programe, Youth Livelihood program, EMYOOGA among others that have all enabled children to go to school.
The Deputy RDC Katakwi Vicent xaviour who recently commissioned two sites for the construction of the seed schools said staffing of primary schools and secondary schools is still low which is affecting the performance.
The LCV Geoffrey Omolo thanked the learners for their performance and for opting to remain in the district. He pledged to increase school monitoring through the district education committee.
Omollo asked parents and the learners to conserve the enviroment.
Angela Atim the District Education officer Katakwi district thanked the parents for sacrificing what they had, to take their children to school.
Of the 43 first graders in Katakwi district, 8 were girls.
Source:VPPU