Ombaci-Keliko Pupils Face Harsh Learning Conditions

The school is kept running by the community with the help of 14 volunteer teachers. These teachers conduct lessons under trees and beside the remnants of broken walls.

“Some of the learners sit on stones, while others sit on pieces of wood or directly on the ground,” said Mr Simaya. “We urgently need classrooms, teaching materials, qualified teachers and furniture.”

He warned that failing to address the problem would worsen the already high levels of illiteracy.

“Illiteracy is another disaster if we don’t tackle it now. We need to create a better learning environment so that we can produce productive citizens for our country,” he said.

Morobo County Education Director Moses Wani confirmed the poor state of Ombaci-Keliko and other schools in the area. He said that limited financial and material resources have prevented the county education department from addressing the most urgent needs.

“This is a government aided school which was destroyed during the years of conflict, and there is no proper learning space for the children,” Mr Wani said.

He called on both the state and national governments to step in and on humanitarian and development organisations to provide support.

Access Radio was unable to reach the Central Equatoria State Ministry of Education for comment. However, Governor Rabi Mujung Emmanuel has repeatedly stated in public meetings that the state government is prioritising peace, stability, development and the delivery of basic services in all six counties.

Morobo County, a strategically located area bordering Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, has continued to experience sporadic insecurity since the beginning of the year. This instability has hindered both service delivery and development efforts, leaving schools like Ombaci-Keliko struggling to recover.