AMOLATAR – A senior district official has revealed that most parents in Amolatar are unaware that the government is paying 833 million shillings in grants to nine government-aided secondary schools in the district.
Vuciri Geoffrey, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO), told a stakeholders’ meeting that government pays 52,000 shillings per child, yet many parents remain ignorant of the funding.
According to the DCAO, Agikdas SS receives 66 million shillings, Agwingiri SS 69 million, Alemere Comp. 138.3 million, Amolatar SS 107.2 million, Aputi SS 83.4 million, Etam Seed 64 million, Muntu Seed 148.6 million, and Namsale Seed 52.2 million, totalling 832,740,000 shillings.
Speaking on behalf of the boards of governors of the affected schools, Tonny Ebine, Chairperson BOG for Muntu Seed SS, said administrators should be appreciated for the increased enrollment. He recalled that when he taught at Agwingiri Girls SS, there were only 30 students, but today the school has well over 300.
On the boarding section, Ebine said Amolatar is unique in that if learners are placed on day schooling, many will drop out. He revealed that the majority of students reside at school, with only seven and thirty-seven day scholars at Amolatar SS and Muntu Seed respectively.
Ebine told stakeholders that Amolatar schools lack boarding facilities, but as a stopgap, they accommodate students in hostels built by parents. He said efforts are underway to gazette these hostels as boarding facilities if government avails facilities.
The Muntu Seed board chairperson also boasted of improved academic performance in most schools, which he attributed to parental support. He warned that for the district to discourage parents again would be a disservice to the people of Amolatar.
Ebine challenged the district not to make boards a ceremonial body, noting that they are appointed by the Minister to oversee school administration. He said that before issuing a directive banning the mentioned collections, the district should have engaged the boards first.
