By Our Reporter 

Katakwi - The Katakwi District Education Department has raised alarms about the alarming number of unlicensed private schools in the district.

In a recent stakeholders meeting held on Wednesday, 26th February, Joseph Alileng, the Senior Inspector of Schools in Katakwi, revealed that out of the 51 privately owned primary and tertiary institutions in the district, only three are fully licensed. The remaining 49 schools are operating unlawfully, violating national education standards.

Alileng explained that of the 51 private schools, only 40 have approached the education department for registration. However, only two have successfully acquired the necessary permits, while another two are in the process of registration. The rest are operating illegally, putting both students and staff at risk.

Despite the Ministry of Education's clear directive mandating private schools to adhere to licensing registration, Alileng announced that the department has approved the support of an additional 10 schools to facilitate their licensing. He emphasized that this week, institutions such as Horizon Vocational School, Toroma Junior School, Toroma Bright Way, and several others, including nursery and primary schools, will be assisted in obtaining their licenses.

Simon Bernard Opeded, the Chairperson of Private Schools in Katakwi District and the proprietor of Toroma Blessed Nursery School, confirmed that only three out of the 51 private schools in the district are legally operating. These include St. Paul Nursery and Primary School, Toroma Blessed Nursery School, and IJB Junior Nursery and Primary School.

In a bid to address this issue, Katakwi District has partnered with Edify, a non-profit organization that aims to improve access to Christ-centered education in underserved areas of Africa and Latin America. The partnership will facilitate the licensing process for these private schools, ensuring they meet the required standards for operation.

Sarah Tukasaba Okwapu, a representative from Edify, revealed that Katakwi has become the 86th district in Uganda to benefit from Edify's support. The organization will provide valuable services such as teacher capacity-building training and free academic seminars for educators, which will help improve governance and education quality in the region.

Geoffrey Omolo, a representative from Edify, encouraged school proprietors to take the licensing process seriously to avoid facing any future inconveniences with the Ministry of Education. He also urged that all unlicensed schools be brought into compliance with government standards to safeguard the interests of students and the education sector.

Vincent Savior Okwi, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Katakwi, who was present at the meeting, reiterated the importance of ensuring all private schools adhere to the government’s licensing regulations. He urged the 78 government-aided schools, 51 private schools (covering primary, secondary, and tertiary levels), and other stakeholders to work together in achieving full compliance.

The Katakwi District Education Department’s efforts to support the registration of private schools is a significant step toward ensuring that all institutions in the region provide quality, licensed education to students and meet national standards.