Poor State of Roads in Oyam Affecting School-Going Pupils in the Same Schools

As the third term of the 2024 academic year began yesterday, many schools in Oyam district continued to face low student attendance, particularly in rural areas. This is primarily due to the poor state of roads in the region, which are impassable for many pupils.
The Ankole Times reporter visited several schools in Oyam. At Abela Primary School in Aleka sub-county, some pupils were unable to attend school because the Angolo bridge, which connects them to the school, was washed away by recent floods.
On Tuesday, only 156 pupils were present out of a total enrollment of 2,015 at Abela Primary School. All 14 teachers were present.
Patrick Oyuru, the headteacher of Abela Primary School, attributed the low attendance to both the poor road conditions and the fact that some parents are still keeping their children home to help with farm work.
At Loro Adigo Primary School in Loro sub-county, attendance was also affected by the poor roads. On Tuesday, 376 pupils were present out of 1,674 enrolled students. Daniel Okaka, the deputy headteacher, explained that many pupils cannot reach school due to the flooded roads and that parents are often hesitant to send their children to school early in the first week of a new term. However, he expects enrollment to increase in the coming weeks.