education 6 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Lango Professionals Tasked to Combat Poverty and School Dropouts
Professionals from the Lango sub-region are urged to use their expertise to address critical issues of high school dropout rates and pervasive poverty, which are hindering regional development. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/lango-professionals-urged-to-tackle-mass-school-dropouts-poverty-5586134
Professionals and senior academics from the Lango sub-region have been called upon to utilize their skills and achievements to tackle significant socio-economic challenges, particularly the alarming rates of school dropouts and persistent household poverty.
During a recent event organized by the Lango Community Makerere Areas (LCMA), Mr. Maxwell Odong, an Education Planner at the National Planning Authority (NPA), emphasized that high-achieving individuals must see their success as a platform to drive positive change.
Mr. Odong highlighted startling NPA statistics indicating a severe decline in educational progression. “According to information available to the NPA, about 780,000 learners enter primary school in Lango, but only about 250,000 progress to secondary school, while approximately 12,000 reach tertiary education,” he stated. He urged these intellectuals to devise practical solutions to ensure students complete their education.
The lack of education was directly linked to widespread poverty and associated social problems, including domestic violence, which is prevalent in the North Kyoga region. Mr. Odong cautioned that economic hardship often forces families into distress sales of assets like land, perpetuating cycles of poverty and conflict.
He advised professionals to invest strategically, balancing immediate income-generating ventures with long-term projects to support household welfare. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of personal health, warning that the premature loss of educated professionals deprives the region of valuable human capital.
With Lango contributing only about two percent to Uganda’s economic growth, Mr. Odong urged public officials to uphold integrity and champion initiatives to boost regional productivity. The LCMA event also celebrated academic excellence, recognizing Vice Chancellors, Deputy Vice Chancellors, PhD holders, and newly promoted senior faculty members.