Parents agree to maintain PTA contributions at Rackoko school

26 October 2026, 4:17 pm

By Geoffrey Okwong

Parents of Rackoko Comprehensive Secondary School in Pader District have agreed to maintain the existing Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) contributions to support the school’s operations following concerns over remarks by the Minister of State for Local Government, Hon. Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, regarding additional charges in grant-aided schools.

The decision was reached during a meeting convened by the school’s head teacher, Walter Opiyo, to discuss the contributions and how the school could continue meeting its operational needs.

Samuel Ojok Okwera, the Secretary for Social Services at Pader District Local Government, told the meeting that PTA contributions were based on an agreement between parents and the school.

Ojok thanked Opiyo for convening the meeting, saying it provided an opportunity for parents and school management to discuss the challenges facing the institution.

He said the PTA initiative had historically helped schools address gaps in infrastructure and staffing, including constructing additional classrooms and recruiting teachers where government staffing was insufficient.

Ojok also cited emergencies, such as food supplies running out before the end of a school term, as situations in which PTA funds could help schools continue operating.

However, he cautioned the head teacher that accountability was essential whenever money was collected from parents for a common purpose.

Ojok urged Opiyo to regularly account for the funds to parents to prevent misunderstandings and disputes over how the contributions were used.

On the school’s blocked PTA account, Ojok said district leaders were making efforts to resolve the matter. He said letters had been written to the Ministry of Education and Sports, inviting the Minister of Education to visit the school and help resolve the issue.

Earlier, Opiyo said the school had 567 students in both O-Level and A-Level, but only 22 teachers on the government payroll, prompting management to recruit two additional teachers through parental support.

He said PTA contributions also helped meet costs for support staff, including security guards and cooks, maintain cleanliness, supplement food supplies and meet other operational expenses not fully covered by government funding.

Opiyo said food brought by parents sometimes ran out before the end of the term, forcing the school to use PTA funds to purchase additional supplies.

He added that the school provides educational opportunities to 19 disadvantaged learners whose parents or guardians cannot afford to contribute towards their education.

The school also offers sports scholarships to 24 students and academic scholarships to top-performing learners, while examination printing and sports activities require additional funding.

Opiyo said management planned to establish an ICT department next year and recruit more teachers, but noted that these plans would require continued support.

Josephine Akanyo, a resident of Rackoko A Village in Lunyiri Sub-county and a parent with two children at the school, urged fellow parents to continue contributing, saying the school could not progress without financial support.

Vincent Olanya, a former PTA chairperson, also supported maintaining the existing contribution structure, although he acknowledged that some parents faced financial difficulties.

Olanya said some parents had stopped paying following the minister’s remarks and urged them to clear outstanding balances and continue supporting their children’s education.

Bosco Ojede, the Male Councillor V for Lunyiri Sub-county, urged parents to consider the long-term costs of educating their children as they advance to higher levels of education.

Ojede, who has three children at the school, including two sitting their Senior Four examinations, compared the school’s reported charges with those of other institutions.

Reading figures from his book, he said that per term, Gulu College charges Shs650,000, Pajule Secondary School Shs380,000, Acolpii Army Shs310,000, Rackoko Comprehensive Secondary School Shs287,000, St Joseph’s College Layibi Shs1 million, and Archbishop Flynn Shs800,000.

He said the comparisons should encourage parents to reflect on their children’s future educational needs, including the costs of advancing to tertiary institutions and universities.

Makmot Omong, a resident of Bolo and a retired teacher at Atanga Primary School, defended the PTA arrangement, saying it had been established after parents came together to address challenges facing the school.

Omong also supported the planned introduction of an ICT department, describing it as an important step towards improving the school’s future.

Although parents agreed to maintain the existing contributions, the meeting also highlighted concerns about affordability, financial accountability and the need to resolve the school’s blocked account.

The legality and applicability of the existing contributions under the minister’s directive require clarification from the relevant education authorities.