ADDRESSING THE SCHOOL SANITATION CRISIS IN SOROTI DISTRICT

In a bid to tackle the school sanitation crisis, the Soroti District Education Department has launched the construction of a five-stance drainable pit latrine at Amoroto primary school.

The groundbreaking event took place last week on the 12th.

For a long time, the state of sanitation at the school had been appalling. The only pit latrine, which served over 700 pupils in Amoroto primary school had filled up, forcing learners to relieve themselves in nearby bushes. This posed serious environmental and health concerns.

Michael Oriada, the head teacher of Amoroto Primary School, acknowledged the ongoing sanitation challenge, emphasizing that the existing pit latrine was inadequate for the growing student population.

However, as part of its annual school infrastructure improvement program, the district approved a contract for the construction of a five-stance drainable pit latrine. The project was awarded to Sure Friends Civil and Agro Input Ltd., the contracted construction company, and construction work is now set to commence.

District Education Officer (DEO) James Oede stated that the construction of the facility would cost UGX 23,634,574.

While officially launching the construction, Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Ronald Bakak encouraged parents to send their children to school, stressing that education is the key to a successful future.

Bakak also cautioned school administrators against sending children home due to unpaid tuition fees.

“Do not send children away because of failure to pay PTA fees. The security team will not tolerate this, and we shall take action against such school administrators,” warned Bakak.

Despite the sanitation challenges, Amoroto Primary School has continued to excel academically. The school was ranked the best government-aided primary school in the previous Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), passing all pupils to the next level of education. The results included two pupils in Division one, 26 in division two, and six in division three, outcomes that the Awaliwal community is proud of.

However, there was a general decline in Division One performance, with only 40 pupils attaining the top grade, while 3,741 students passed and 852 failed out of the total 4,622 registered candidates.

The construction of the new pit latrine marks a significant step in improving sanitation conditions at Amoroto Primary School and ensuring a healthier learning environment for students.