Gulu city schools recorded slow learner reporting as third term begins

15 September 2026, 11:03 am

By Walter Kidega and Ekel Bonny Daniel.

Government schools in Gulu City have reported a slow return of learners as the third term of the school year begins, with school administrators attributing the low turnout mainly to financial challenges faced by parents.

At Gulu Primary School, Headteacher Madam Lilly Rose says only 250 out of the 750 learners enrolled at the school had reported by Monday, September 14, 2026.

Rose says most day scholars have returned, while learners in the boarding section are reporting gradually depending on their parents’ financial preparedness.

She attributes the delayed reporting partly to poor harvests among farming families, saying some parents are struggling to meet school requirements, including feeding costs for boarding learners.

The headteacher says 24 out of the 26 government teachers have reported, and teaching has already started.

She has appealed to parents to ensure their children return to school, particularly the 104 Primary Seven candidates preparing for this year’s Primary Leaving Examinations.

Meanwhile, at Gulu High School, Deputy Headteacher Martine Oketayot says learner reporting is also low, with only about 135 of the 627 learners enrolled at the end of the second term having reported by Monday morning.

Oketayot says some parents could be waiting for their salaries, as the third term has opened in the middle of the month.

He has urged parents facing financial difficulties to communicate with the school and agree on payment arrangements instead of keeping their children at home.

Oketayot warns that late reporting creates learning gaps because teachers are forced to repeat lessons for learners who arrive several days late.

He adds that Senior Four candidates have only about two weeks of teaching before entering the examination period, making early reporting important.

Unlike the two government schools, private Gombe Junior School Gulu Campus has reported a higher learner turnout.

Principal Patrick Calnono says the school expects about 98 percent of its learners to have reported by the end of Monday.

The school has 402 nursery and primary learners, with all 19 teachers already present.

Calnono has also urged parents facing financial challenges to negotiate payment plans with the school while ensuring their children return to class.

Speaking on the overall situation in Gulu City, the Gulu City Education Officer, Mr. Richard Irwenyo, says teacher attendance has been high, ranging between 97 and 100 percent in most schools.

Irwenyo says the major concern is the low number of learners who have reported on the first day of the third term.

He says this is happening despite repeated appeals to parents to send their children to school, even when they have not yet managed to provide all the required school materials.

Irwenyo says the education authorities understand the financial difficulties faced by many parents, especially peasant farmers, but stresses that learners should return to school as soon as possible.

Irwenyo describes the third term as a promotional term, saying it has very few school days before learners sit their examinations.

He says A-Level examinations are expected to begin in about 25 days, meaning learners who stay home for even ten days could miss a significant amount of learning.

He also notes that some schools were affected by the national secondary school ball games held in Gulu, which caused some schools to resume about two weeks late.

He has therefore appealed to parents, local leaders and other stakeholders to support learners to return to school and make the most of the limited learning time available in the third term.