Pallisa, Uganda: The Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for Pallisa, Mr Majid Dikhusooka, has urged head teachers across the district to uphold accountability, strengthen school management, and mobilise communities to participate in the upcoming Local Council (LCI and LCII) elections.
Speaking during an induction meeting for primary and secondary school head teachers at Pallisa Secondary School on Wednesday, Dikhusooka described school heads as managers, mentors and custodians of education standards whose leadership directly influences academic performance and institutional integrity.
He cautioned head teachers against the mismanagement of public resources, urging them to ensure transparency in handling Universal Primary Education (UPE), Universal Secondary Education (USE) capitation grants and parental contributions.
“Every shilling that comes to your school must be accounted for by you, not the School Management Committee (SMC), Board of Governors (BOG) or PTA, because they are policy makers, not implementers. Keep proper records, involve your School Management Committees, and ensure procurement follows the guidelines. Poor management of resources is what destroys the reputation of a school,” Dikhusooka said.
The RDC also challenged school administrators to strengthen supervision of teachers by monitoring attendance, lesson delivery and professional conduct to improve learning outcomes.
“Reward hard work and address laxity promptly through the proper channels. A well-managed school produces disciplined learners and competitive results. Do not tolerate absenteeism, late coming or negligence under your watch,” he added.
Turning to civic engagement, Dikhusooka commended head teachers for their contribution to previous government mobilisation efforts and called on them to encourage communities to participate peacefully and responsibly in the forthcoming Local Council elections.
“As opinion leaders, you have a duty to ensure that your communities participate actively and responsibly in the upcoming elections. Let us maintain the momentum of unity, development and service delivery that the NRM government has championed,” he said.
The induction was organised by the Pallisa District Education Office to update school administrators on current education policies and reinforce their role in promoting effective school management and civic responsibility.
District Education Officer Ronald Omutuju urged head teachers to lead by example, saying effective administration requires consistent planning, accountability and supervision.
He emphasised the importance of proper lesson preparation, syllabus coverage and the use of appropriate teaching aids to improve learning.
“You must ensure that effective syllabus coverage is measured through the preparation of schemes of work, detailed lesson plans and the practical use of learning aids appropriate to learners’ levels, because this turns content absorption into reality,” Omutuju said.
Head teachers welcomed the engagement, describing it as timely and beneficial.
Moses Okiring, the head teacher of Kagoli Primary School, said the induction had equipped participants with practical leadership skills they could immediately apply in their schools.
“Learning is life because it only stops when one is dead. I came thinking this was just another routine training, but I have taken notes that will heavily guide me in managing my school,” Okiring said.
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