Tororo MPs Demand Answers Over Education and Health Service Failures

What the report says

Tororo District lawmakers have pressed local education and health officials to explain continuing service delivery problems in public schools and health facilities, according to Nile Post. The concerns raised in a meeting of the Tororo MPs’ Caucus centered on staffing shortages, inadequate government funding and allegations that some institutions are charging fees for services that should be free.

The discussion brought together headteachers, health managers and legislators to review the challenges and consider possible remedies. The meeting was chaired by Dr Tanga Odoi, who criticized reports of additional school charges on parents and said such practices can deepen hardship for low-income households. Education officials, however, argued that capitation grants are too small to cover operating needs, pointing to the current allocations of Shs53,300 per secondary learner and Shs6,600 per primary pupil.

One headteacher said funding gaps were affecting learner welfare, including candidates sitting national exams without enough food. Health officials gave a similar explanation for medicine shortages, saying limited funding is contributing to recurring stock-outs at facilities such as Tororo General Hospital. They said the hospital receives about Shs151 million for medicines every two months but would need roughly Shs282 million per cycle.

Caucus chairperson Richard Owere Machika said many of the issues would require policy action, especially on staffing and financing. The MPs said they would take the concerns to government and are seeking a bigger wage bill and increased sector funding to improve services and reduce pressure on public institutions.