By Johnson Kanyesige
Kikuube District is struggling with a deepening crisis in its primary education sector, where a severe shortage of teachers is straining already fragile learning conditions and threatening the future of thousands of children.
According to data from the District Education Department, Kikuube, which has 74 government-aided primary schools, currently employs only 720 teachers against a required 1,250. This leaves a glaring deficit of over 500 teachers, an imbalance that is increasingly visible in overcrowded classrooms, overworked staff, and declining academic outcomes.
The impact of this shortage is perhaps most evident in the district’s recent performance in the 2025 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE). Out of 4,716 registered candidates, only 244 attained Division One. The majority fell in Division Two (1,949) and Division Three (1,149), while 625 candidates passed in Division Four.
Alarmingly, 616 pupils failed outright, and 133 did not sit the exams at all. Education officials and community members alike are linking these outcomes to the constrained teaching capacity across schools.
Amon Zondera, the Kikuube District Inspector of Schools, describes the situation as critical. He explains that the shortage has been driven by a combination of factors, including retirements, deaths, and delays in recruiting replacements. As a result, many schools are operating far below recommended staffing levels, forcing teachers to handle multiple classes and overwhelming pupil numbers.
The strain is most acute in schools located within the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, where enrollment figures are exceptionally high. In some cases, the disparity between learners and teachers is staggering. At Maratatu Primary School, for instance, more than 7,000 learners are attended to by just 17 teachers.
Zondera further notes that the situation worsened significantly following the withdrawal of several non-governmental organisations that had been supporting teacher facilitation within the settlement. The exit of these partners, largely due to dwindling donor funding, has left schools struggling to fill the gaps they once helped bridge.
Vincent Alpha Opio, the Kikuube District Vice Chairperson, warns that unless urgent action is taken, the district risks entrenching a cycle of poor academic performance and limited opportunities for its young population. He is calling on the government to prioritise teacher recruitment and to review staffing ceilings so they better reflect the district’s growing pupil population.
Additional reporting by our correspondent Venance Ntegeka
