Daily News Date: 09.01.2015 Page 5

Article size: 294 cm2 ColumnCM: 65.33 AVE: 274400.0

Kagera short of 99,200 school desks

From DAILY NEWS ing bricks, stones and sand to house to house verification, Reporter in ensure the remaining 50 class­ and arrest parents who will be rooms are completed before found hiding the students. KAGERA Regional Commis­ March, this year. "The government is keen sioner John Mongela has said A total, of 24,501 pupils on ensuring that every child that his region lacks 99,204 who completed Standard Seven gets education. Parents who school desks. This, implies a last year have been selected to will be found hiding students 47 per cent shortage. The RC join Form One, this year im­ will be prosecuted in courts of said this during a recent Re­ plying a 65.68 per cent success law," he warned. gional Consultative Committee in exams. Kagera Regional Mr Kitenga also directed (RCC) meeting. Academic Officer, Fredence teachers to ensure that no stu­ He added that the re­ Serapion told the "Daily News" dent is expelled or punished gion's requirement for desks that a total of 37, 818 pupils at­ for lack of uniform and other in primary schools stood at tempted the exams. school requirements, because 238,080 while those available He noted that out of 24,501 that was the duty of parents and were 138,876 implying a 53.3 students selected for Form One not students. per cent. 11,970 were boys while 12,531 Kyerwa District council in Also, the region's require­ were girls. According to Mr Kagera Region has shortage of ment for chairs stand at 84,344 Serapion, 241 secondary school teachers while the chairs that are avail­ took first position with 89.1 per an equivalent of 45.1 per cent, able are 82,275 (97.5 per cent). cent performance while Ky­ the Kyerwa District Educa­ The shortage has been pegged erwa was the. last district with tion Officer (Secondary), Mr at 2,069 chairs (or 2.5 per cent). 56.72 per cent. Mathew Lubemba has said. Mr Mongela disclosed The Chairman for Misenyi According to Mr Lubem­ that the region's requirement District council, Mr William ba, the district requirement for tables stood at 84,344 while Katunzi, appealed to parents to were 535 teachers while those those available were 73,615 ensure that all students selected available were 294, implying a (87.3 per cent). There is also a for Form One this year report 54.9 per cent. shortage of 10,729 tables (12.7 at their respective secondary He noted that the district per cent). schools when the school term faced acute shortage of sci­ Meanwhile, Muleba North starts On January 13, this year. ence teachers with require­ Constituency in Kagera Region According to Mr Katunzi, ment of 185 teachers while has a shortage of 50 classrooms a total of 2,698 students out of those availabe were only 44, for secondary school students. 3,609 students who attempted implying a 23.8 per cent. He The Member of Parlia­ the Standard Seven National appealed to the government to ment (MP) for Muleba North, examinations last year (2014) employ more teachers to fill the Mr Charles Mwijage, said this have been selected to join Form gap­ on Monday when addressing One this year. Meanwhile, only 19 out of a public rally at Kamachumu Kyerwa District Commis­ 128 students who registered for township, in . sioner, Mr Benedict Kitenga, Form One at Lukoye secondary He noted that the district's has been irked by reports that school in Misenyi District dur­ requirement were 200 class­ a big number of students in ing 2011 completed Form Four rooms while those available primary and secondary schools last year. were 150, implying a shortage had dropped out due to un­ The head teacher, Mr Jo­ of 50 classrooms. known reasons. seph Mkungi, said those who He appealed to the resi­ Mr Kitenga has directed completed Form Four implied dents to pull up their socks and Village Executive Officers 14.8 per cent adding that most work as a team by contribut­ (VEO) and Ward Executive of the students dropped out due ing building materials includ­ Officers (WEO) to conduct a to truancy and pregnancies.

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