Pader orders fresh state house scholarship selection process

10 August 2026, 19:38

By Ekel Bonny Daniel

Pader District has ordered a fresh selection of State House scholarship beneficiaries after concerns over inadequate communication, unequal representation and alleged irregularities. District leaders will apply transparent criteria covering geographical representation, gender, vulnerability, academic performance and poverty.

Pader District has ordered a fresh and transparent selection process for beneficiaries of the State House scholarship programme following concerns over inadequate communication, unequal representation and alleged irregularities in the initial selection.

The decision was reached on Monday, August 10, 2026, during an emergency meeting chaired by Pader District LCV Chairperson Alfred Akena, involving district political leaders, technical officers, students and parents.

Akena said the President pledged 100 scholarships annually for students from the Acholi sub-region, with the programme beginning in the 2026/2027 financial year.

However, he said the selection process in Pader was conducted without adequate involvement of district leaders and technical officers.

He said the first list contained 11 students, while another list received Monday had 15 names, prompting the district to establish clear selection criteria.

The selection criteria will consider geographical representation across Pader’s five zones Awere, Pader, Pajule, Acholibur and Atanga while also taking into account gender balance, students with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, academic performance, extreme poverty, and children of former abductees and former LRA abductees.

Akena directed all students who applied, including those left off the lists, to report to his office on Tuesday, August 11, at 9 a.m. with relevant documents.

Students who failed to apply because they did not receive the information were also invited.

He said LC3 chairpersons from Pader’s 23 administrative units and all the district councillors five would participate in the new selection process.

Pader District Secretary for Education and Pajule Town Council Councillor Five, Ojok Samuel Okwera, called for transparency and proper communication.

He also urged financially capable parents to allow vulnerable families to benefit.

Okwera alleged that some individuals had paid money to have their children included on the list and called for investigations.

Pader District Inspector of Schools Olwoch Francis said the education office was not informed about the scholarship programme and only learnt about it when the matter reached the district.

Olwoch called for a clear selection framework based on geographical representation, gender, vulnerability, academic performance and historical vulnerability.

His view was supported by Assistant Education Officer Fielder Lalam, who said the education department normally receives official communication about programmes such as the District Quota and FAWE scholarships.

Lalam said the State House scholarship appeared to have been handled differently, with information reaching the district without adequate involvement of the education office.

Representing the CAO’s office, Principal Assistant Secretary Anek Joyce Onge called for equal opportunity and involvement of relevant district offices to ensure deserving students across Pader have a fair chance.

Pader District Community Development Officer Okidi Festo went further, calling for cancellation of all names already submitted and a complete restart of the selection process.

Okidi said the initial exercise was conducted at short notice, meaning many vulnerable families may not have known about the opportunity.

A parent and Pader Town Council resident, Alur Jenent Lugali, said she learnt about the scholarship through rumours rather than official communication.

She supported a fresh selection, saying many parents are struggling to meet university education costs for their children.

Newly elected Latingi LCI Chairperson Olaki Bosco praised Pader LCV Chairperson Alfred Akena for promoting transparency, saying the scholarship selection is being handled openly rather than secretly.

Bosco also raised concerns about the recent livestock restocking programme, where a widow’s name allegedly disappeared after selection, and called for district verification of beneficiaries in Porogali Sub-county.

Meanwhile, Aruu County MP Komakech Christopher said he complained to Minister Hilary Onek after observing that only two of the initial 11 nominees came from Aruu County, while nine came from Aruu North.

Komakech questioned the fairness of the distribution and said four students from Aruu County would now be incorporated into the final list.

Pader Resident District Commissioner Amos Asiimwe, whose office was accused of conducting the initial selection process without adequately involving other district stakeholders, defended the process, saying that if concerns had been identified and the authorities were now correcting them, there was no problem with the decision.