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School head held over 2 girls who went missing after PLE
Parents protest in front of the office of the head teacher at Oweka Primary School in Pader District last Friday over the disappearance of two candidates. PHOTO | GLADYS LAKAREBER
What you need to know:
- Mr Vincent Anywar Ngomkura, one of the parents, said he learnt that his daughter sat exams from Pajule Primary School, another centre, but neither returned to school nor home.
Police in Pader District are holding a primary school head over the disappearance of two female candidates who completed their Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) last week.
The head teacher of Oweka Primary School in Ogola Parish, Bongtiko Sub-county, Pader District was arrested on Saturday and taken to Pader Central Police Station after the missing girls’ parents told police their children never returned after completing their examinations last Thursday.
Parents who spoke to this newspaper said that the children, who left the school to sit their examinations from another centre (Pajule Primary School) since the school lacks a centre number, said the two missing girls neither returned to school for a final debrief nor returned home and that the school failed to explain their whereabouts.
Mr Vincent Anywar Ngomkura, one of the parents, said he learnt that his daughter sat exams from Pajule Primary School, another centre, but neither returned to school nor home.
“I’m also not sure whether indeed they sat and finished their papers and the head teacher, in whose custody the children were, cannot explain,” Mr Anywar said.
He said 18 of the 20 candidates who left Oweka Primary School to sit the examinations at Pajule Primary School returned home.
Last Saturday, Mr Tom Karahutsya, the Officer-in-charge of Pader Central Police Station, said: “We have launched an inquiry into the case. The head teacher is in our custody.”
Last week, Ms Margaret Alanyo, the Pader District Education Officer, intervened after some parents held a protest at the school. During the protest, parents allegedly closed the head teacher’s office and attempted to beat him up over the missing children.
Oweka Primary School is government-aided and has an enrolment of more than 600 learners.
During an emergency meeting at the school, Mr Alex Labeja, another parent, said: “Our appeal to the DEO’s office is that the head teacher be transferred.. Teachers are always in their gardens and the children are not taught, which has affected their performance.”
When asked to respond to the allegations during the meeting, the head teacher denied the accusations.
“When examinations ended, all the candidates gathered together and set off for school for debriefing, if the two went missing, then they most likely straying on their way home but not that we did not bring them back from Pajule,” the head teacher said.
Mr David Komakech, the district’s secretary for Education, urged the DEO to commission an audit of the school’s operations.
The DEO blamed the school management committee for failure to report such issues. “This school received more money than other schools in the district, up to Shs8m per quarter but the head teacher is failing to do what is required. However, I am taking immediate action on concerns you have raised in this meeting,” Ms Alanyo said.
