Punuoluru Primary School in Lira City West Division is struggling to conduct lessons due to lack of space and inadequate teachers.
The school with an enrollment of 1,374 pupils has eight classrooms, 125 desks, and only 15 out of the required 34 teachers. The head teacher’s office has also been turned into a store and library.
Joel Rokko Ojok, the head teacher says since the school was coded in 2011, they have been struggling with congestion in classrooms. He explains that the parent’s idea to create a boarding section for candidates and semi-candidate classes has caused more problems because some of the classrooms are being used as dormitories.
According to Ojok, school property is stored in the classrooms when pupils are at home.
Winnie Akullo, a Primary Six pupil says that due to overwhelming numbers in classes, their concentration is low.
Jasper Abura, the Lira City Principal Education Officer says that they are aware of the shortage of classrooms but efforts to address the matter are hindered by inadequate funding.
But Abura criticized school authorities who are using classrooms as dormitories for pupils saying the parents should be responsible because it is a private arrangement between the school and parents.