education 17 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Hunger Forces Island Pupils Away from Afternoon Classes
Two Universal Primary Education schools on Lake Victoria islands are experiencing declining enrolment and poor attendance as pupils skip afternoon lessons due to hunger. The absence of a school feeding program is a major contributing factor. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/island-upe-schools-struggle-as-pupils-desert-afternoon-classes-over-hunger-5499974
Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools situated on islands within Lake Victoria are facing a crisis of declining student attendance, primarily driven by hunger. At Kisima I and Kisima II Primary Schools, many pupils leave for lunch but do not return for afternoon classes, significantly impacting the learning environment.
Teachers report a substantial drop in enrollment, with Kisima II seeing its pupil numbers fall from around 300 to under 200, and daily attendance often dipping below 70 learners. This trend is attributed to the cessation of a feeding program previously run by an NGO, which had boosted attendance when it was active.
School administrators have made repeated appeals to parents to ensure children have adequate food, but with limited success. Many families on the islands face economic hardship, exacerbated by restrictions on fishing in Lake Victoria, their traditional livelihood. Consequently, some parents expect the schools to provide meals, despite UPE not allocating funds for such programs.
Attempts to introduce parental contributions for meals have met resistance, with some parents citing the notion of “free education” under UPE. The low turnout makes effective teaching challenging, sometimes resulting in as few as three teachers managing fewer than 100 pupils.
Beyond hunger, headteachers also raised concerns about parental neglect of basic scholastic needs like uniforms and stationery. Additionally, sanitation facilities are under strain due to community usage. Teachers in these hard-to-reach areas also report a lack of hardship allowances.
School authorities are now calling on parents, local leaders, and development partners to collaborate on establishing sustainable feeding programs to improve attendance, retention, and academic performance for the island’s children.
This situation highlights the critical link between adequate nutrition and consistent education, particularly for vulnerable communities. For more details, please refer to the Daily Monitor article.