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By Alex Pithua
Today 25 March 2024, Zombo District local government and National council for higher education have handed over the spacious Paidha Primary Teachers College to Kyambogo University to train graduate teachers.
Last year in May, Zombo district council sitting unanimously agreed to hand over the facility to Kyambogo university so that they can establish their study center momentarily.
This after the national teacher policy 2019 recommended the operationalization of only core primary teachers college leaving colleges like Paidha and others with no option but to close automatically across the country.
Under the national teacher policy 2019, government has provided framework to guide the professionalization of the teaching profession and to streamline the interventions aimed at standardizing teacher related issues of all education levels.
The minimum qualification for all teachers in uganda regardless of the level of education they teach , shall be Bachelor’s Degree in Education or A Bachelor’s Degree with post_ graduate qualification in education.
During the hand over , The Zombo district LC5 chairperson James Oruna Oyullu urged the public to mobilize students to join the university study center assuring of conducive learning environment.
” The district leadership will team up with the university to ensure conducive learning environment” Oyullu assured the university officials.
Margarete Aluka, The outgoing college principal Paidha Teachers College said that the college has well stock library with books that cater for primary to universal studies, a functional laboratory and structures including classrooms, accommodations for learners and staff amongst others.
“It has been a long awaited day since the government announced the phasing out of the non core colleges across the country. we want to hand over this college to Kyambogo University today” Aluka stressed.
Mean while the Chairperson Board of Governor Paidha Primary Teachers College Jalwiny Solomon described the college as the pride of Alur land.
“we had several meetings with officials from the Education ministry since 2022 and we are happy to handover the college which is a pride of Alur land to Kyambogo University” He said
The Member of Parliament for Okoro Constituency Okumu Gabriel asked kyambogo university to benefit the predominantly agricultural Alur community with practical courses.
The Member of Parliament for Ora Constituency also the chairperson westnile MPs and chairman climate change committee said this is an effort to achieve higher education in greater Nebbi adding that more education institutions will be coming.
” I appeal to the parents and guardians to save for the education” Songa appealed
Additionally, Kermit Emmanuel Angiya II , The clan chief of Paidha Chiefdom requested the University ” to offer 4 slots for the students in the chiefdom to benefit from the education in the area as bursary”
The King Of Alur Kingdom Phillip Rauni Ularker III in a speech read by the executive director Alur Kingdom Vincent Ocaya, asked for full scholarships for ten girls and five boys respectively in the entire Kingdom spanning the Districts of Pakwach , Nebbi and Zombo.
He also urged the District security committee to ensure peace exist in the area
The Deputy RDC of Zombo District Grace Atim appealed to the University to make use of the indigenous people especially in areas of employment.
The Former state minister of Energy Simon D’janga called upon the media to give positive publicity to the long awaited University, further urging community across west Nile region to send more learners in full support of the University.
Max Okiror , The Assistant commissioner Teacher Education in the Ministry of education and sports urged the University to work with Zombo District stakeholders for smooth operationalization.
Professor Elly Katunguka, The vice chancellor Kyambogo University commended Alur Kingdom and local leaders for the support, urging the community to take full charge of the University. He added that they will work with the locals to achieve the goals in west Nile and the entire country.
The establishment of Kyambogo University adds to the existing centers in Eastern Uganda ( Soroti campus) Western ( Bushenyi Campus.
Paidha primary teachers college was established in 1982 as a government founded college in a church of Uganda primary school building in Mvungu upper primary school in the then Nebbi district.In 1989, Land was allocated for the college where it’s currently siting on 80.9 hectares in Dwonga ward paidha town council.However, the facility has also been grappling with the challenge of land encroachment which the board recently said has been resolved.
This Publication understands that the official programming shall start in August this year with education course.
By the time of it’s closure, the enrollment at the college had dwindled from 468 to 86 from 2010 to 2022 respectively.
Greater Nebbi subregion that comprises Districts of Pakwach, Nebbi and Zombo has only three notable institutions that include the soon to be phased paidha primary teachers college , Ora technical institute Warr and Uganda college of Commerce pakwach.
The coming in of Kyambogo university in greater Nebbi is being viewed by many people as history in the making since the region has no university institution.
