Aduku Secondary School targets national excellence amid major facelift

18 May 2026, 3:20 pm

By Winnie Auma

The headteacher of Aduku Secondary School in Kwania District has revealed ambitious plans to transform the institution into one of the leading model schools in the Lango sub-region through massive infrastructure renovation, improved discipline and academic excellence.

According to the school headteacher,Ajjo Zechonia Odama the government-aided school, which was founded by the church and taken over by government in 1957, has registered tremendous growth in both enrollment and academic performance despite facing infrastructure and staffing challenges.

Odama said student enrollment has increased from only 320 learners in 2020 to 1,113 students currently, attributing the growth to improved discipline and academic performance.

He noted that the school administration, together with parents and the Board of Governors chaired by Peter Abraham Lincoln, embarked on a strategic plan in 2023 to renovate old and dilapidated structures at the school.

Odama said the school’s academic performance has also greatly improved, with Aduku Secondary School ranked 333 among the top 2,000 schools nationally in the 2025 UCE results, up from position 1,771 in 2024.

Odama credited the improved performance to strict discipline and cooperation between parents and the school administration. He warned against interference from local leaders in school discipline matters, insisting that management of learners should remain under the authority of school administrators.

He however cited shortage of teachers and non-teaching staff as one of the major challenges affecting the school. Odama said out of 46 teachers currently at the school, only 27 are on government payroll, while the rest are paid by parents through PTA arrangements.He also revealed that only four non-teaching staff are on government payroll out of the required 14 positions.

Science teacher, Janan Denis Bua explains that the school laboratory structure is highly dilapidated and has limited equipment, making implementation of the new curriculum difficult.However, he said teachers usually improvise during lessons, adding that due to limited government support, the school has decided to engage parents to contribute 45,000 shillings each in the second term to help renovate the building.

Alex Opio, a senior teacher, said the school is performing well academically because of hard work and discipline, adding that the installation of CCTV cameras has helped improve discipline and performance.

Opio also called on the government to increase salaries for all teachers, including those in technical schools, to motivate them to work harder.