Lango sub-region turns school attendance fines into local revenue

7 March 2026, 14:54

By Winnie Auma

Some sub counties in the Lango Sub-region have started generating revenue from fines imposed on parents who keep their children at home during school time.

Speaking to our reporter, the Secretary for Education in Apac District, Sam Opira, said most sub-counties in the district introduced by-laws targeting parents who fail to send their children to school in a bid to improve education standards.

He said the measures are intended to strengthen school attendance and improve education outcomes by ensuring that parents take full responsibility for their children’s learning.

Opira explained that the sub-county leadership resolved to fine such parents 100,000 shillings, especially if children remain at home two weeks after schools reopen.

He added that last term, local leaders working with police arrested more than 10 parents who had kept their children out of school, adding that the parents were later released after paying the fines.

Opira said the initiative is yielding positive results because it compels parents who were previously reluctant to send their children to school to comply. He noted that the money collected from the offenders is deposited into the sub-county pool as local revenue.

Peter Okweda, the LC3 Chairperson of Ogwete Sub county in Otuke District, said their council imposes a fine of 50,000 shillings on children found loitering in trading centres during school time and 100,000 shillings on parents who keep their children at home.

Okweda said more than 30 children and 20 parents were apprehended during an operation conducted in the third term last year.

Meanwhile, the LC3 Chairperson of Agweng Sub-county in Kwania District, Thomson Oyena, revealed that the sub-county council resolved last year to impose a fine of 50,000 shillings on parents who keep their children at home during school time, but the directive has not yet been implemented.

However, Oyena said he will soon liaise with local leaders to launch an operation aimed at apprehending such parents and ensuring they are punished in accordance with the by-law.

In Alito Sub county in Kole District, the council passed a by-law in 2023 to fine parents 50,000 shillings for keeping children at home during school time, but the measure has not yet been implemented.

According to the LC3 Chairperson, Tom Olet, although the by-law was enacted, the leaders chose to engage hesitant parents through one-on-one dialogue to encourage them to support their children’s education.

Olet said the approach proved effective last year, noting that, for the first time, the sub-county registered four learners in Division One, a significant improvement compared with previous years.