Soroti City, Uganda — Several government-aided primary schools in Soroti City recorded a low turnout of learners on the first day of the new school term, as classes resumed following an extended holiday period.
The Ministry of Education recently postponed the official reopening date from February 2 to February 10 to accommodate the election period, a move school administrators say may have affected attendance.
A spot check conducted across selected schools revealed that many classrooms remained largely empty, with only a small number of pupils reporting on the first day.
At Father Hilda’s Primary School, Head Teacher Simon Oumo said only 61 pupils turned up out of an expected population of 706 learners.
Oumo attributed the low attendance to the recent elections, noting that many parents were still engaged in post-election activities and had not yet prepared their children to return to school.
“The turnout is still low because of the election period, but we are hopeful that by the end of the week most pupils will have reported,” he said.
Similarly, Pioneer Primary School recorded minimal attendance across the lower classes. The new head teacher, Carolyn Suzan Akello, said enrolment numbers were still far below expectations.
According to Akello, only five pupils reported in Primary One, five in Primary Two, 12 in Primary Three, 19 in Primary Four, and 21 in Primary Five.
School administrators remain optimistic that attendance will gradually improve as the week progresses and parents resume normal routines.
Education officials have urged parents and guardians to ensure children return to school promptly to avoid disruptions to learning at the start of the term.
