By Ritah Mukasa
“Since teachers earn low salaries, some spend more time looking for other means of survival hence the high cases of absenteeism,” says Alex Ocaya, the headteacher of Awali Primary School in Omoro district, Northern Uganda.
In fact, he remembers, when he was posted to the school five years ago, he found only one teacher on the ground, full-time. The rest would teach for a few days and disappear back to their homes.
“I discovered that these teachers would run back to their gardens because it was another source of income. Besides, the school wasn’t providing them with meals,” he says.
From that, Ocaya asked the school management committee to apportion land to all the nine teachers to grow their own food and this has helped to keep them at school.
So far, five have gardens where they grow food for home consumption and sale.
Each teacher uses a quarter of an acre of the school land. Some grow maize, ground nuts, beans and peas while others cultivate cassava and millet.
If they are not in class, you will find them in their gardens. Some even hire land from the community and grow crops on a large scale.
“My teachers no longer cry over delayed salaries because they can sustain their families,” he says.
In addition, this arrangement has also brought the school and community together. The teachers hire community members to work in the gardens.
Norbert Ojok, one of the teachers has specialised in cassava and maize growing and is enjoying the benefits.
He is also head of the school farm where pupils grow food.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Teacher Norbert Ojok in the school garden. Photo by Ritah Mukasa
