The teachers of Katakwi High School in the eastern part of Uganda grilled their head teacher, Mr. Michael Okurut, on March 29th for failing to provide accountability for the 55 million Ugandan shillings. The money is fully USE funds that the Ministry of Education and Sports sent to the school as part of the capitation grant in the recent quarter.
The headmaster, Mr. Okurut Michael, is preparing to retire from service on September 23rd, 2023, but he is accused, together with his accomplices, Mr. Okwii Patrick (the bursar, commonly known as EPOMBE) and Otubeny Jonathan (the deputy head teacher), of not displaying the money on the school notice board since 2016.
According to Owiny, she is selling at least 32 boxes of soap on daily basis and a box of ten pieces goes for Ugx 50,000. She asked both politicians in power and outside power to creat jobs for locals as the available work positions in government cannot be enough for everyone in the country.
Although her political career on the ground looks clear, when asked about active participation in Uganda’s Politics come 2026, she declined to comment.
” It’s true we tasked our bosses to respond to their corruption at school, and the headteacher Mr. Okurut fainted, but he was rushed to his office, and he was given medical attention by the school matron,” insiders at the school told this website.
Okurut was given three bottles of normal saline to come out of danger, which worked for him.
Meanwhile, the community is too concerned about the low turnout of 200 students registered this year for both O and A-Level, saying it’s poorly performing, hence threatening to demonstrate against the administration’s conduct. They wonder why the district leadership is paying a deaf ear towards the robotic and kangaroo-style practices that the accused are doing, noting that many of them might be historical beneficiaries of the money.
The representative of Old Boys and Girls, Mr. Julius Arega, said the school is operating with an old Board of Directors who are also decision-makers in the administration. Arega said as concerned citizens, a report has been written and presented to the Vice President, the Minister of Education and Sports, RDC, LC5, CAO, Secretary of Education, and Education Department for immediate action.
“I’m sending copies also to IGG Soroti and PAC (Public Affairs Centre Soroti),” Arega said.
According to the report, the school had an enrollment of over 600 students, but due to being stingy and corrupt to motivate teachers, the number has kept reducing. The report also shows that the administration has been sending a report to the Ministry of Education and Sports that the school has a total of 925 students, yet it has only 200. The results of last year also did not please the district, which brought public debate across Katakwi District.
Finally, the school administration has been jumbled, uncooperative, and lacked transparency since 2016 up to date, causing eruptions of clicks among the teaching and non-teaching staff.
