AGAGO ARDC BOSTIFY JOHN OWEKA THREATENS TO ARREST PARENTS KEEPING PUPILS AT HOME.
Agago, Uganda – February 11, 2026 – The Assistant Resident District Commissioner (ARDC) of Agago district, Bostify John Oweka, has issued a stern warning to parents in the district against keeping their children at home instead of sending them to school. Oweka stated that the traditional practice has contributed to the high rate of school dropouts in the area.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday morning, Oweka attributed the high dropout rates to various factors, including school administrators sending children back home during lesson hours and overcharging pupils illegal school fees. He directed school administrators to stop the practice with immediate effect.
Oweka emphasized that the government’s policy of free education through the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) programs was designed to provide equal education opportunities to all children, regardless of their family background. He warned wealthy parents against collaborating with headteachers to impose fees in government schools, advising them to take their children to private schools instead.
However, Oweka also urged parents not to rely solely on the government to provide education for their children, but to also support them with lunch and scholastic materials to improve their performance.
According to Oweka, some sub-counties in the district, including Lapono, Patongo, Omot, Geregere, and Lira Palwo, have recorded low turnouts of children in school on day one of the school opening.
In a bid to enforce compliance, Oweka warned that any parent found with a school-age going child at home from February 17, 2026, would be arrested and taken to a police cell. “By next week, we don’t want to hear about parents who fail to buy books and pens for their children, or government-aided schools that send children back home because of school fees,” Oweka warned.
The ARDC’s warning has sent a strong message to parents in Agago district to prioritize their children’s education and comply with the government’s education policies.
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