Pader District Rolls Out Desk Supply to Schools

6 March 2026, 14:27

By Ekel Bonny Daniel

The education department in Pader District has begun the supply of desks to primary schools across the district in an effort to improve learning conditions and reduce the number of pupils studying while seated on classroom floors.

According to the Pader District Education Secretary, Hon. Adonga Phillips Obalim, the district has targeted more than 49 schools in the current financial year as part of a broader effort to address the shortage of desks in schools.

“We have 23 administrative units in the district, and each sub-county or town council will have at least two schools benefiting from the desk distribution this financial year,” Obalim said.

He explained that schools including Adongkena Primary School in Tenam, Olambyera Primary School in Pukor, Lakoga Primary School in Tenam, and Ogom Primary School in Ogom Sub-county have already received desks.

Under the program, each beneficiary school will receive a minimum of 30 desks, although schools with larger student populations may receive more.

For instance, Obalim said school like Olwrnguu primary school in Pader Town Council could receive up to 70 desks depending on enrollment numbers and available funding.

The district plans to expand the program in the next financial year using additional grants expected from the central government.

“Our priority is to ensure learners have some level of comfort while studying in classrooms,” Obalim said.

At Adongkena Primary School, the arrival of new desks has already begun to improve learning conditions.

The headteacher, Orach Alfred, said that before the desks were delivered, many pupils especially those in lower classes were forced to sit on the floor during lessons.

“In our school we had only 19 desks from Primary One to Primary Seven, so we prioritized the upper classes. Pupils in P1 to P4 were sitting on the floor,” he said.

The situation had caused many pupils to transfer to nearby schools with better facilities.

“Many children moved to the neighboring schools because they could find proper seating there,” Alfred explained.

Adongkena Primary School recently received 30 new desks from the district.

The school has also repaired 15 previously broken desks, bringing the total number of usable desks to about 50.

Although the headteacher says the desks are still not enough, the improvement has already encouraged parents to reconsider the school.

“Parents have started coming back to the school and promising to return their children next term,” Alfred said. “These desks will help bring more learners back.”

In addition to supplying desks, the district is also implementing classroom rehabilitation projects in several schools.

Construction and renovation works have already been handed over to contractors at five school sites across the district.

Among the projects is the rehabilitation of a four-classroom block at Wiliwili Primary School in Latanya Sub-county, another four-classroom block with an office and store at Pader Ongany Primary School in Pader Sub-county, and the renovation of a classroom block at Rackoko Primary School in Lunyiri Sub-county.

The district is also addressing sanitation challenges in schools lacking proper facilities.

Acwa Bridge Primary School, which currently has no latrine facilities for staff and pupils, is among the schools scheduled to receive new sanitation infrastructure.