SOROTI — Soroti Demonstration Primary School is grappling with severe infrastructure shortages, as rising enrollment continues to outpace available facilities.
The school’s head teacher, Emmanuel Etieku, revealed that the institution is facing challenges including inadequate dormitories, overcrowded classrooms, and insufficient sanitation facilities.
According to Etieku, the school currently has an enrollment of 1,177 learners, with about 490 in the boarding section—a number he described as overwhelming given the limited space.
“Parents are increasingly bringing children to the school, but the dormitory space is not enough,” Etieku said. “If we had funds, we would extend facilities to accommodate at least 200 more learners comfortably.”
He noted that although parents contribute about Shs 383,000 along with cement, the funds collected are insufficient to address the growing infrastructure needs. Most of the money, he said, is spent on essential services such as food and utilities.
“Infrastructure development remains a challenge because the available funds only sustain daily operations,” he explained.
The situation is equally critical in classrooms, where congestion has become the norm. Etieku disclosed that a single classroom can host up to 160 pupils, far beyond manageable levels for effective teaching.
“This is not ideal for learning. It becomes difficult for teachers to give individual attention to learners,” he added.
Sanitation facilities are also under pressure. The school has only two pit latrines, with one serving approximately 320 girls in the boarding section.
“This creates an unhealthy ratio, with too many learners relying on very limited facilities,” Etieku said.
He further pointed to poor school fees payment as a major setback. In Primary One, for example, only 40 out of 116 pupils have paid at least half of the required fees.
“This affects our ability to run the school smoothly. Feeding alone is costly—20 bags of posho can be consumed in just one week,” he explained.
Etieku has now appealed to education authorities and local government to prioritize the school in future budgets, particularly for infrastructure development.
“We need support to expand classrooms, dormitories, and sanitation facilities to match the enrollment,” he said.
School leaders warn that without urgent intervention, the current conditions could negatively impact both learning outcomes and the health of learners.
