Tororo Schools Resort to Tree Shades as Classrooms Amidst Overcrowding

Learners at Petta Community Secondary School in Tororo District are facing an extreme learning environment, resorting to lessons under the shade of trees due to a critical lack of classrooms. The government-aided school, established for a maximum of 900 students, now grapples with an enrollment exceeding 2,000, leading to severe overcrowding.

Existing school structures at Petta Community Secondary School show signs of neglect, with peeling walls. Students are forced to share desks, with up to five pupils crammed onto a single wooden seat. Teachers also face challenging conditions, with one Biology teacher reporting classes of 80 students in a room designed for 40.

“The heat is unbearable. We need at least three more classrooms and more teachers,” a teacher lamented, highlighting the daily struggle against the elements. Blackboards, often made of rickety wooden frames propped between tree branches, bear the brunt of decades of weather. The school head teacher, Mr. Peter Bayeke, stated that the lack of facilities not only affects concentration but also forces early closures during the rainy season.

While the school has seen recent construction of two classroom blocks for senior students, funded partly by the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), ongoing infrastructure development is hampered by government policy. This policy restricts schools from levying charges for infrastructure improvements, leaving many reliant on PTA contributions. The PTA chairperson, Mr. Charles Oketcho, appealed to the government to revise policies and prioritize infrastructure in all government-aided schools, not just seed schools. He noted the school’s academic achievements despite the poor facilities, including a top candidate in the 2025 national examinations.

Katerema Senior Secondary School, another institution in Tororo, faces similar challenges, with students learning outdoors. Despite its founding by the Anglican Church and strong academic performance, the school accommodates around 92 students per classroom, far exceeding the Ministry of Education’s recommended ratio.

District authorities acknowledge the issue, with the LC5 chairperson, Mr. John Okea, citing budget cuts and dwindling local revenue as major hurdles. The district education officer has formally communicated the dire situation to the Ministry of Education and Sports, seeking urgent intervention for these government-aided schools.