Kaberamaido ARDC Arikos Warns Headteachers Against Illegal School Charges

What the report says

Dokolo Post reported that Kaberamaido Assistant Resident District Commissioner Peter Arikos has cautioned headteachers in Kaberamaido District against sending pupils and students away from school over charges he described as illegal. Speaking at a district education stakeholders’ meeting, Arikos said learners under Uganda’s Universal Primary Education and Universal Secondary Education programmes are entitled to uninterrupted schooling, and urged school leaders to follow the law and Ministry of Education and Sports guidance.

According to the report, Arikos represented the Office of the President at the meeting on behalf of Senior Resident District Commissioner Godfrey Nyakahuma. The gathering included the District Education Officer, school inspectors, education department officials, headteachers from government and private schools, private school directors and other education stakeholders. Participants reviewed issues affecting education standards in the district, including learner performance, teacher conduct, school governance, financial accountability, child protection, discipline, sanitation and links between schools, parents and communities.

The article said another key issue was the government’s suspension of school tours and educational trips after a recent rise in road traffic accidents involving schoolchildren. School administrators were asked to comply with the directive while awaiting further instructions, with the safety of learners presented as the priority.

The development matters because disputes over school-related charges can affect access to education, especially for children in publicly supported programmes. More broadly, Uganda’s UPE and USE policies are intended to reduce barriers to basic education, though schools and communities often continue to debate how to meet operational costs while keeping learners in class. Dokolo Post reported that the meeting ended with stakeholders pledging to improve accountability, learning outcomes and education quality across Kaberamaido District.