AMOS K
Parents at Nyakitabire Primary School in Rugarama North Sub-county, Ntungamo District, have expressed growing concerns over the school’s poor academic performance. The school recorded 11 pupils with grade U—complete failures—in last year’s Primary Leaving Examinations.
Jason Muganga, the PTA chairperson, speaking on behalf of the parents, stated that they have lost hope in the school due to the lack of commitment from teachers. He attributed the poor performance mainly to ineffective teaching, as many teachers fail to meet the required standards. He also noted that pupil absenteeism is partly caused by teachers who are frequently absent themselves.
Patience Musiimenta, the new headteacher, confirmed the poor academic performance, noting that most teachers are not serious about their work. She further highlighted that many teachers are unqualified and that a significant number of male teachers struggle with alcoholism, which affects their professionalism. However, she assured stakeholders that efforts are being made to improve the school’s performance. She emphasized time management and ensuring teacher commitment as key strategies for achieving better results.
Amanya Ivan Rwanyakibale, the LC3 chairperson of Rugarama North Sub-county, pointed out that understaffing is a major challenge, which he said is the government’s responsibility to address. He also cited poor leadership as a contributing factor, arguing that a headteacher’s lack of creativity and innovation can negatively impact performance.
Rwanyakibale further criticized some parents for keeping their children out of school, which increases absenteeism. He called on district education officers to intervene and urged parents to provide the necessary support to improve the school’s academic standards.
Fred Bahati, the Ntungamo District Education Officer, acknowledged the challenges at Nyakitabire Primary School. He noted that the district has taken steps to improve conditions by constructing new classroom blocks and appointing a new headteacher. Bahati advised the headteacher to continue sensitizing parents and working with relevant authorities to address the shortage of teachers, emphasizing that new teachers have already been recruited.
