In a joint operation conducted by the police and district leaders in Agago district, 27 primary school learners between the ages of 8 and 17 were arrested for being absent from school.
The learners were found at Oliga Open market in Patongo Town Council, where they were engaged in business activities and providing labor in food joints and bars.
Oliga Open Market is known to attract business communities from various districts, including Mbale, Lira, Abim, Sironko, Pader, and Bukedea, every Tuesday.
It was discovered that learners would start engaging in business activities on Monday evening and continue throughout the following day, leading to concerns about high absenteeism rates in government-aided schools, child abuse, and teenage pregnancies.
The operation, led by Susan Moro Akot, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Agago, resulted in the arrest of 12 girls and 15 boys, while many other learners managed to flee the market.
Akot expressed disappointment with the parents’ failure to take advantage of the Universal Primary Education Program. Akot also highlighted that fishing activities along the Agago River during the first term had previously contributed to low school attendance, and now the focus had shifted to selling shea nuts.
James Okot Menyamoi, the Town Clerk of Patongo Town Council, emphasized that learners engaging in business during school hours significantly impacted the poor performance of government-aided schools. To address this issue, they plan to conduct sensitization campaigns in villages to educate parents about the importance of education.
Juma Muhammad, the Agago District Probation and Welfare Officer, attributed the high rate of absenteeism to poor parenting and an increase in child mothers who struggle to meet their children’s basic needs.
While some parents, like David Obwona, explained that their children were caught up in the operation due to exceptional circumstances, they acknowledged the importance of addressing truancy.
Following a warning to parents, the arrested learners were released, with the condition that they are given other tasks during school hours. Market leaders were also instructed to report any learner found within the market during school hours to the authorities.