Buyende, Uganda: Buyende District leaders have launched a district-wide operation targeting school-going children found outside school during official learning hours as part of efforts to combat rising absenteeism and school dropout rates.
The resolution was reached during a meeting held at Buyende Township Primary School, attended by the District Education Officer, Resident District Commissioner (RDC), LC V Chairperson Sharif Mangalainhe, and headteachers from both primary and secondary schools across the district.
The meeting focused on improving learner attendance, strengthening accountability, reducing school dropouts, and ensuring compliance with government education policies.
District Education Officer Dison Bwire said persistent absenteeism has become one of the biggest challenges affecting education in Buyende, adding that coordinated enforcement across communities is necessary to reverse the trend.
He explained that the operation will target school-going children found outside classrooms during school hours, with the aim of ensuring that every learner returns to school.
Buyende District, located along the shores of Lake Kyoga, has for years struggled with high levels of absenteeism, largely driven by child labour. Many children engage in fishing activities, while others leave school to work in sugarcane plantations and factories in search of income.
District leaders say these practices have significantly contributed to increasing school dropout rates and continue to undermine efforts to improve educational outcomes.
Resident District Commissioner Paul Kalikwani Makakanhala welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention to address the growing number of children missing school.
He called on parents, teachers, local leaders and community members to work together to ensure that every school-going child is in class during official learning hours.
Closing the meeting, Buyende District LC V Chairperson Sharif Mangalainhe thanked education stakeholders for their commitment and urged headteachers to fully implement the resolutions agreed upon during the meeting.
He said improving school attendance is essential to raising education standards and securing a better future for children across the district.
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