Over 300 pupils at Otangocinge primary school forced to study under trees

14 March 2025, 3:02 pm

By Sarah Ejang

Over 300 pupils at Otangocinge Primary School in Abeja subcounty, Amolatar district, continue to endure harsh learning conditions, with some classes being held under mango trees due to a lack of classrooms.

During a visit by our reporter on March 14, 2025, Friday afternoon, Primary Four and Five pupils were found studying under the trees, where they narrated their struggles whenever it rains, strong winds blow, or vehicles pass by, raising dust and disrupting lessons.

“When it rains, we have to run for shelter because we have no classrooms. Sometimes, our books get wet, and we lose our notes,” one of the pupils lamented.

Primary One and Three pupils, though fortunate to be inside structures, study in mud and wattle-walled classrooms without doors and windows. According to the pupils, rainwater splashes into their classrooms during downpours, making learning difficult.

The school’s Deputy Head Teacher, Mr. Alele Samuel, expressed frustration over the state of the institution. “This school has been in existence for 15 years, yet the government has never built permanent structures for us. We only have one government-posted teacher, which is not enough for the number of pupils enrolled,” he said.

Mr. Ojota Fastino, the School’s PTA Chairperson, revealed that the school has only three classrooms and relies on a nearby Catholic chapel and mango tree shades for additional learning spaces. He added that apart from the government-appointed head teacher, the school employs seven other teachers whose salaries are funded by parents. “Whenever it rains, learning is completely paralysed,” he noted.

When contacted, Ms. Josephine Acen Okullo, the District Education Officer for Amolatar, acknowledged the dire situation and assured that funds for classroom blocks may be allocated in the next financial year. On the shortage of teachers, she stated that the district service commission had recently conducted interviews, and Otangocinge Primary School is expected to receive additional teaching staff soon.

However, concerns have emerged over the misallocation of funds in the last financial year. Initially, four classrooms and one office were designated for Otangocinge Primary School. However, these funds were diverted by the district council to Akuriluba Primary School in Opali subcounty, which had already been allocated a similar project. Mysteriously, only seven classrooms and one office were constructed at Akuriluba instead of the planned eight classrooms and two offices, raising unanswered questions about the missing resources.

Parents, teachers, and pupils of Otangocinge Primary School are now calling on the government and well-wishers to intervene urgently and provide a conducive learning environment for the children.