Summary:
- Katakwi district recorded 127 candidates in Division One in 2024, marking a significant improvement. Some schools celebrated their first-ever first-grade achievements, while others continued to excel.
KATAKWI: Over the years, Katakwi has been ranked among the worst-performing districts in the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) across the country and the Teso region.
However, the district showed remarkable improvement in the 2024 PLE results released on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
Katakwi district recorded 127 candidates in Division One in 2024, marking a significant improvement. Some schools celebrated their first-ever first-grade achievements, while others continued to excel.
Apuuton Primary School led with 39 candidates in first grade, followed by Angodingod with 38, and Katakwi Primary School with 16.
Additionally, several rural schools—Okolimo, Obwobwo, Alukucok, Obulejet, and Akurao—each registered a first-grade candidate for the first time in over three decades.
Simon Ewasu, head teacher of Apuuton Primary School, acknowledged the achievement but noted that teacher understaffing remains a major challenge to sustaining progress.
Angela Atim Mudong, the Katakwi District Education Officer, attributed the improved performance to the school feeding program, which ensured all candidates had meals at school. She emphasized that hunger has been a key factor hindering learning, particularly in afternoon lessons.
She also credited the positive change to stronger parental involvement, collaboration among political and technical staff, and improved teacher-student relationships. Furthermore, Atim highlighted the district’s stable security, particularly in schools near Karamoja, as a contributing factor.
However, Atim stressed that teacher understaffing continues to hinder efforts to increase the number of Division One candidates. She called for government intervention in recruiting more teachers by addressing wage bill constraints.
Geoffrey Omolo, the Katakwi LCV Chairperson, expressed optimism that the results would inspire even better future performances. He praised the collaboration between teachers, parents, and local leaders, noting that UPE schools accounted for 125 of the district’s 127 first-grade candidates.
He also emphasized the role of district leadership in monitoring and supervising school activities, revealing his commitment to attending 50% of the district’s Annual General Meetings to identify and address educational challenges.
Emmanuel Olaro, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, reiterated the district’s commitment to tackling high dropout rates among girls and addressing teacher understaffing. He urged the public service to fill staffing gaps caused by sick leave and to increase the wage bill to accommodate more teachers.
Speaking at the annual ceremony to reward first graders at Katakwi District Headquarters, Vice President (Rtd.) Maj. Jessica Rose Alupo Epel emphasized the importance of school feeding programs in enhancing students’ cognitive abilities.
She also encouraged parents to actively guide their children’s academic paths, particularly in science subjects, given the increasing importance of digital and technological skills.
As a gesture of motivation, Alupo, who also serves as the Katakwi District Woman Member of Parliament, awarded each of the 127 first-grade students a mattress, a metallic box, and five counter books as a starter kit for their transition to secondary school.
Katakwi’s overall PLE performance in 2024 showed significant progress, with a total pass rate of 89.9%, up from previous years. The district recorded a 4.8% increase in first-grade candidates, rising from 3.1% in the previous year.
Boys led in first grade with 85 candidates, while girls accounted for 42. In Division Two, 1,364 candidates (51.6%) passed, with 723 boys and 641 girls. Division Three had 648 candidates (24.8%), comprising 295 boys and 353 girls. Division Four registered 238 candidates (9%), with an equal split of 119 boys and 119 girls. Division U recorded 241 candidates (9.2%), including 110 boys and 131 girls. Division X saw a notable decline to 0.9% (24 candidates: 10 boys and 14 girls) from 11.6% last year.
The improvement in Katakwi’s PLE results reflects the district’s dedication to education and highlights the impact of strategic interventions such as feeding programs, community engagement, and school supervision. However, addressing teacher shortages remains critical to sustaining this upward trend
