By Alfred Opio
PALLISA — Pallisa District is facing a growing education crisis as overcrowded classrooms in government-aided primary schools continue to hinder effective learning, particularly in literacy and numeracy.
Education stakeholders have raised concern over the high number of learners in classrooms, saying it is making it difficult for teachers to deliver quality education, especially at lower primary levels where foundational skills are developed.
Head teachers across the district report that the problem is most severe in Primary One to Primary Four. In these classes, pupils are expected to acquire basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills, but overcrowding is limiting teachers’ ability to provide individual attention.
Beatrice Joy Imeesa, the head teacher of Opwateta Primary School, described the situation as critical. She revealed that one class in her school has more than 300 pupils.
“With such numbers, it is impossible to ensure every child understands the lesson. Only a few learners manage to read and write, while many are left behind,” Imeesa said.
She added that the impact of overcrowding extends to upper classes, where some learners still struggle with basic literacy and numeracy due to weak foundations.
“At times, children also lack support at home, which worsens the situation,” she noted.
At Agule Primary School, head teacher Simon Ongodia said the situation is equally challenging, with Primary One alone having over 400 pupils. Some streams, he said, have more than 200 learners per class.
“A teacher cannot effectively monitor or assess such a large number of pupils. This affects both teaching and learning outcomes,” Ongodia explained.
Pallisa District Education Officer Ronald Omutujju acknowledged the challenge and said efforts are underway to address it. He confirmed that the district has written to the Ministry of Education and Sports requesting additional funding for classroom construction.
“We are aware of the problem and have engaged the ministry for support,” Omutujju said. “Our goal is to create a conducive learning environment for every child.”
He noted that expanding infrastructure would reduce congestion and improve learning outcomes, especially in foundational subjects.
Stakeholders are now calling for urgent intervention, including construction of more classrooms, recruitment of additional teachers, and increased parental involvement in children’s education.
As overcrowding continues to strain schools in Pallisa, education leaders warn that without immediate action, many learners risk missing out on essential skills needed for their academic and future success.
