Pader Resident District Commissioner, Milton Odongo has written to the Chief Administrative Officer accusing the Acting District Education Officer, Margret Alanyo of negligence and sabotaging government programs.
He accuses the education department of the non-distribution of learning materials delivered by the Ministry of Education and Sports to the district in September for distribution to candidates.
The learning materials, which include approximately 3,000 counter books, 6,000 pens, 6,000 pencils, and 3,000 pieces of sanitary pads were donated by the Ministry of Education with funding from The Global Fund to facilitate P.7, S.4, and S.6 candidates from selected schools during their final examinations.
In his November, 9th, 2022 letter, Odongo alleges that the district released Shillings 1.4 million to the education department in fuel facilitation and another Shillings 534,000 as transport facilitation to Alanyo, Filder Rose Lalam, the Counseling, and Guidance Officer, and Nelson Odong, a driver to deliver the materials to the beneficiary schools.
He, however, says that to his dismay, the materials are lying idle in the stores yet the intended beneficiaries are finalizing their examinations. According to Odongo, the actions of the officers are tantamount to sabotage of enormous government programs and negligence of duty contrary to the public service standing orders.
He wants the CAO to investigate and ascertain why the learning materials were not distributed in time as per the guidelines that accompanied the donations and disciplinary measures effected against the implicated officers.
Alanyo has dismissed the allegations leveled against them, saying they are ill-intended and meant to tarnish their reputations by those misinforming that office of the RDC.
According to Alanyo, the learning materials were not meant for examination purposes but it was rather a normal donation meant for needy and vulnerable children in eight selected primary schools and four secondary schools in the district.
She attributes the delayed distribution of the materials to logistical challenges saying they were only facilitated to distribute the materials a few days prior to the start of the Primary Leaving Examination.
David Komakech Lam, the Pader District Education Secretary acknowledges the delayed distribution of the material and also reiterates that the donations were not meant for final examination purposes. He says that he has instructed the education material to ensure that the learning materials are immediately distributed to the intended beneficiaries before Friday this week.
The donation is part of routine support to HIV/AIDs positive learners, orphans, and learners With Disabilities including the visually impaired, the deaf, and the physically lame among other most vulnerable categories in the selected schools.
The beneficiary schools are Acholi Bur, Adoo, Langyatido, Ogonyo, Olwongur, Pader Kilak, Paipir, and Pajule Lacani primary schools while the secondary schools are Lagwai SEED, Acholi Bur Puranga, and Pajule Secondary Schools.
-URN
