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 following concerns over inadequate communication, unequal representation and alleged irregularities in the initial selection.

The district will apply transparent criteria covering geographical representation, gender, vulnerability, academic performance and poverty.

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

Akena said the President had pledged 100 scholarships annually for students from the Acholi Sub-region, with the programme beginning in the 2026/27 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 on 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 — as well as gender balance, students with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, academic performance, extreme poverty, and children of former abductees, including those affected by the LRA insurgency.

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

Students who did not apply because they had not received the information were also invited to participate in the new process.

He said LC3 chairpersons from Pader’s 23 administrative units and all five district councillors 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 throughout the process.

He also urged financially capable parents to allow vulnerable families to benefit from the scholarship programme.

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

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 disadvantage.

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 opportunities and the involvement of relevant district offices to ensure that deserving students across Pader have a fair chance.

Pader District Community Development Officer Okidi Festo went further, calling for all names already submitted to be cancelled and the selection process restarted from scratch.

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

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

She supported a fresh selection process, saying many parents are struggling to meet the cost of university education for their children.

Newly elected Latingi LC1 Chairperson Olaki Bosco praised Pader LCV Chairperson Alfred Akena for promoting transparency, saying the scholarship selection process was being handled openly rather than secretly.

Bosco also raised concerns about the recent livestock restocking programme, alleging that a widow’s name disappeared from the list after the selection process. He called for the district to verify the beneficiaries in Porogali Sub-county.

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

Komakech questioned the fairness of the distribution and said four students from Aruu County would now be included on 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 there was no problem with the decision if concerns had been identified and authorities were now taking steps to address them.