Over 500 pupils study under tents after storm damages Igoti Primary School

2 April 2026, 10:42 am

By Dickens Aruca

Approximately 500 pupils at Igoti Primary School in Ibuje Sub-county, Apac District, have been forced to attend lessons under trees and tarpaulins after a heavy downpour, accompanied by strong winds, blew off the roofs of several classrooms last week.

Following the incident, education authorities announced a temporary closure of the school. However, learning has since resumed despite the challenging conditions.

Speaking to the press, Anthony Okello, Chairperson of the School Management Committee (SMC), confirmed that classes are ongoing, although they are being conducted in makeshift spaces. He noted that the tarpaulins currently in use were borrowed from community groups, including Too Pe-Yero and Can-Wonere Pe, while the LC3 Chairperson of Ibuje Sub-county, Alex Ogota, also provided support.

Okello acknowledged that the school lacks the financial capacity to repair the damage but expressed gratitude to parents and community members for their efforts in ensuring that learning continues.

Meanwhile, the Apac District Education Officer, Bosco Elyak, explained that the school had been closed for over three days to allow authorities to assess the situation and identify immediate solutions. He added that the school was instructed to improvise using tarpaulins so that pupils could resume classes, particularly with only about a month remaining before the end of the first term.

According to a report from the school, 500 of the 917 enrolled pupils have returned since reopening.