Soroti Authorities Given Stern Order to Vacate Classrooms Used as Teachers’ Quarters

SOROTI CITY — Soroti City authorities have been put on the spot over the continued use of classrooms as teachers’ accommodation, with the Resident District Commissioner’s (RDC) Secretariat issuing a stern directive to have the affected classrooms immediately freed for learning.

The directive follows a monitoring exercise that exposed a serious shortage of learning space at Moruapesur Primary School, where six teachers are reportedly occupying classrooms as their living quarters.

The practice has contributed to congestion in the school, with more than 67 pupils reportedly squeezed into classrooms designed for about 55 learners, raising concerns about the quality of the learning environment.

The RDC Secretariat, under the Office of the President, warned that classrooms are public education facilities meant for pupils and must not be converted into residential quarters for teachers.

Deputy Head of the RDC Secretariat, Dr. Sr. Mary Grace Akiror, directed the relevant authorities to urgently identify alternative accommodation for the affected teachers and restore the classrooms to their intended purpose.

She warned that failure to address the matter would undermine government efforts to improve access to quality education and provide learners with safe and conducive learning environments.

The monitoring team also challenged education authorities to stop treating the shortage of teachers’ accommodation as an excuse for compromising classroom space.

School headteacher Caroline Aero said the school continues to face serious infrastructure challenges, including inadequate staff accommodation. Some teachers have consequently been forced to share the few available staff houses, while others commute from their homes.

The school has also attempted to mobilise additional resources from parents to address some of its pressing needs. However, efforts to secure adequate contributions have reportedly faced challenges.

The situation at Moruapesur Primary School has renewed concerns over the condition of learning facilities in some government schools, particularly where inadequate infrastructure is forcing public institutions to improvise at the expense of learners.

The RDC Secretariat has therefore directed the City Education authorities, District Education Officer and RDC to urgently address the accommodation challenge and ensure that classrooms are exclusively reserved for teaching and learning.

The intervention is part of the wider government monitoring drive aimed at ensuring that public resources and infrastructure are properly utilised and that government programmes translate into tangible improvements in service delivery.

The monitoring team warned that misuse of government facilities will not be tolerated, urging responsible authorities to take immediate corrective action rather than allowing the situation to deteriorate further.

The authorities were also reminded that providing a conducive learning environment is not merely an administrative obligation, but a critical responsibility in safeguarding the future of Ugandan children.