Anyara Primary School Grapples with Teacher Shortage and Accommodation Crisis
Ponzio Angundru, the School Management Committee Chairperson of Anyara Primary School speaking to the press on developments and challenges. Photo Credit; Matata Benzamin
ARUA CITY – Anyara Primary School in Ayivu West Division, Arua City, is struggling with severe understaffing and inadequate accommodation for teachers, a situation school authorities said is affecting teaching and learning.
The school has 13 teachers serving about 1,400 learners, giving a teacher-pupil ratio of one teacher to more than 100 pupils, nearly twice the government-recommended ratio of one teacher to 53 learners.
The school administration raised the concerns on Monday during a career talk organized by Anyara Equals Association, a local community-based organization. The association encouraged learners to stay focused on their education and donated assorted scholastic materials to the candidates and other pupils.
The school also has only one staff house, which is newly constructed but not yet completed. As a result, the administration is forced to rent accommodation for teachers within the community, putting additional financial pressure on the school.
Margaret Ajio, the head teacher of Anyara Primary School, said the shortage of teachers and accommodation is affecting the quality of education and contributing to learner dropout.
“Teachers are not enough. We are only 13. Again, it’s the 1400 pupils, and our classes are not enough. And when you go to P1, especially P1, P2, P3, they sit up to where the teacher stands. Our classes are only seven. There is no extra exception of this block here, but behind there it’s already making cracks, so we cannot take the pupils that side.” Ajio explained.
She appealed to stakeholders to support the construction of more staff houses to enable teachers to live closer to the school.
“There are some teachers who are coming from very far, but there are some we have rented a house for them, like I especially as a head teacher have rented a house within the community, and others were renting for the houses near the grading center. We are only having one staff house newly built, but there’s no one staying in it yet.” She stressed
Ponzio Angundru, the School Management Committee chairperson, said the challenges have persisted since the school was established in 1998.
“The school is on church land, and the church has limited land because now, if there is a government school, teachers must be in the quarters, and also have a small space for planting greens. Yes, the land is not enough. ” Angundru said.
He recalled that the school nearly collapsed at one point before the government intervened to support its operations.
“From 1998, this school collapsed for some years, like 3 or 4 years there. Then it operated fully now in 2004.”
Angundru appealed to Arua City authorities to deploy more teachers, improve staff accommodation and provide the necessary learning materials to help the school improve its academic performance.
“With the effort of the teachers, we’ve just constructed only one teacher’s house yet, but we are planning to do more in the meantime. So, that is one of the challenges we are receiving here. Funds are not enough, and as a village school here, you know, sometimes when we ask parents to contribute, it is difficult. The collection is always difficult”
Meanwhile, Albert Akua, the Ayivu Division inspector of schools, acknowledged the challenges facing the school and said authorities will take steps to address them.
He said efforts will focus on providing more teachers, improving staff accommodation and expanding other essential facilities to create a better learning environment.
However, Hon. Robert Adriko, the area Councillor for Anyara Ward, said there is need for concerted efforts from the community to fight against school dropout.
“We realized as a community we are faced with a big challenge of dropout. The dropout does not need me as the Honorable Councillor alone to fight for it. Does not need the head teacher to fight for it alone. Does not need maybe the PTA to fight for it alone. But it needs a collective effort from our community.” Anyara Primary School was recently coded and brought under government aid three years ago, after operating as a Complementary Opportunity for Primary Education (COPE) School since 1998.