Teacher Shortage Hampering Effective Services Delivery in Katakwi.

By our Reporter
Katakwi District local government has stressed the critical gap of teachers and heads of departments, a challenge that not only hinders the delivery of education services in both primary and secondary schools but also leads to significant shortfalls despite improved performance.

Speaking during an interview in his office today, 2nd October 2026, Goeffrey Omolo, LCV chairperson of Katakwi District, underlined that although the district's teachers' staffing gap has moved towards the 65 percent ceiling, the staffing level imposes gaps in meeting service to the people; however, Omolo noted that the district has moved towards the 65 percent of teachers ceiling in order to deliver effective service delivery to people.

Also, chairperson LCV chairpersons in Teso noted that the challenge of staffing across the districts is cross-cutting, noting that some district staffing gaps stand at about 26 percent, which he explains as a big gap hampering service delivery to people, further citing among other challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, particularly classrooms, science laboratories, and libraries, that affect schools amidst rising enrollment.

Omolo underscored that the district's progress on staffing reveals that upon analyzing the wage bill, the district will soon be in the pipeline of recruitment of teachers, and in due time, the district will advertise for approximately 100 teachers.

However, Omolo is also concerned that secondary schools in Katakwi are also struggling, noting that with recent recruitment, Seed school teachers from Okore, Akoboi, Getom, and Okulonyo conducted interviews, which would be a significant milestone in addressing teacher gaps, but teachers are not posted.

James Stephen Engole, head teacher of St. Stephen SS and chairperson of the Association of Head Teachers of Secondary Schools in Katakwi, noted staffing deficits in most secondary schools and attributed the challenge to the Ministry of Education's national policy, which he believes should be revised, citing that in Katakwi, some teachers posted from the center only benefit from joining the government payroll after making a short-term request for cross-transfer, and the ministry does not replace them.