By our reporter 

Katakwi district - The district leaders in Katakwi district in eastern uganda have raised fears over the poor performance in ICT in most educational centers over inadequate computers.

This was raised during the presser supported by ActionAid International Uganda at Amoruongora primary school in palam Sub County in Katakwi district.

In his deliberations, the RDC katakwi District maj. Godfrey Even Katamba said that most primary schools in the constituency do not have ICT equipment like computers and the Internet, among others thus making the learners lag behind. 

Katamba added that, a few schools like Kokorio primary school with a population of over 1600 has only one ICT teacher with one computer that can't allow learners to do research as the new curriculum states.

Meanwhile, the district LCV Katakwi Geofrey Omolo explained that the problems of few computers in the schools are caused by low funding to the lower local governments from the center and wage where ministry of Public service bared recruitment of new employees to the civil service. 

"Katakwi being a hard district to reach also hinders network coverage as the service providers are not reliable thus making research a tough solution to save the education system in the district", 

He also pointed out that, his district is short of over 400 teachers who sometimes could be helping learners on research and other activities in the new curriculum as one of the key aspect of learners to participate in schools. 

For the district to get positive results,Omolo called for increased funding on education sector so that ICT equipment can be rolled to every school.

Even with the ongoing rural electrification, most the areas along the road side easily get powered while the rest are not.

The leaders further called for electrification of schools like Obwobwo primary school in Ongongoja sub county, Akisim BT Primary school in Ngariam and Angerepo primary schools where some of the learners have never seen electricity poles.

The RDC Katakwi Maj. Godfrey Katamba also explained that there was a recent mapping by the ministry of Energy under Rural electrification program which was conducted at the entire district to light up government institutions like schools, health centres, lower local administrative units among others a program that will be effective in July to August calling upon the above schools to prepare for digital migration.

Katamba also noted that every seed school has an ICT lab and with development, ICT challenges will be no more since there are more seed schools to be constructed in the district in the sub counties of Okore, Getom, Toroma among others.

katakwi District has over eighty four primary schools with only one with ICT teacher.

Patrick Olila the Chief Administrative officer in katakwi however confirmed that, the district will start recruitment of teachers next financial year though the recent recruitment flopped due to administrative issues.

"If this is done, the issue of ICT will be sorted and the district will migrate to a

digital world", he added.