Oyam District Education Department Under Scrutiny Over Ghost Teachers in Payroll Scandal

19 September 2025, 5:40 pm

By Eman yonah oruk

The Oyam District Education Department has launched an investigation into a payroll scandal involving two alleged ghost teachers who were fraudulently listed on the district payroll.

During a Term Three planning meeting at the district headquarters, Senior Education Officer David Adea disclosed that Jennifer Kitesi and Diahna Kigonzi were recorded as teachers at Otwal Secondary School and Ngai Secondary School respectively, despite no evidence of their recruitment or presence at either institution.

A formal inquiry is underway to determine how these names were added to the payroll system. Authorities suspect either internal collusion or administrative oversight. In response, the department has initiated a district-wide audit of all teaching staff, cross-checking names against deployment records, school attendance logs, and academic credentials.

This probe follows earlier dismissals of teachers found with forged documents and forms part of a broader effort to restore integrity and accountability within the education sector.

Janani Okot, headteacher of Ngai Secondary School, reviewed staff records dating back to 2019 and found no trace of Diahna Kigonzi ever working at the school. Although her name appeared on the district list, it was absent from the school’s official records. He has been directed to submit a formal report to the regional office.

Jenifer Akulu, former headteacher of Otwal Secondary School, confirmed she had been briefed on the matter and found no record of Jennifer Kitesi at the school. She stated that the District Education Officer’s office requested a formal statement, which she has already submitted to the police.

Attempts to reach Beatrice Hellen Okello, Secretary for Education and Sports in Oyam District, for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.