By Derrick Omoding
Suspected thieves broke into Kichinjaji Primary School over the Easter holiday and made away with Sh1.2 million, the Deputy Head Teacher, Ms. Ann Amero, has revealed.
In an interface with the Soroti City Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Joan Alobo Acom, Ms. Amero reported that the head teacher’s office was broken into during the Easter weekend, at a time when the school staff had left for celebrations.
According to Ms. Amero, staff members departed on Thursday for the Easter break and returned the following Tuesday only to find the head teacher’s office forcefully opened and ransacked.
“The staff went for Easter celebrations on Thursday. However, we returned on Tuesday and found the school broken into by suspected thieves,” Ms. Amero said.
“Nothing was taken except for the money totaling Sh1.2 million, which had been kept in the head teacher’s drawer.”
The stolen money was reportedly meant for the school’s administrative activities. Ms. Amero noted that the incident has greatly disrupted the school’s operations, especially during the critical opening weeks of the school term.
Following the break-in, the school’s security guard on duty at the time was arrested to assist the police with investigations. However, no official suspect has been apprehended yet. Police continue to investigate the matter.
Hon. Alobo, who was visiting the school to assess ongoing challenges and interact with school administrators, condemned the act of theft and called for swift police action.
“I strongly condemn the stealing of money meant for the welfare of our children,” Alobo said.
“I urge the police to expedite investigations so that the culprits are brought to book. Schools should be safe places for both students and staff.”
During the visit, Ms. Amero also highlighted several other pressing challenges faced by Kichinjaji Primary School, Chief among them is the severe shortage of classrooms, which has forced many pupils to study in overcrowded and sometimes open spaces.
She further lamented the lack of parental involvement in school affairs, revealing that despite having over 1,200 parents attached to the school, only about 15 parents attend meetings whenever called.
“We struggle to get parents to participate. Out of 1,200 parents, only about 15 show up when called for important meetings,” Ms. Amero said, adding that this lack of involvement severely hampers efforts to improve the school environment and performance.
Hon. Alobo pledged to follow up the matter both with local leaders and at the national level, saying that schools like Kichinjaji Primary deserve better support, She promised to lobby for more resources to help address infrastructure gaps, improve security, and strengthen community engagement with the school.
Police have assured the school community that investigations are ongoing and have urged anyone with information regarding the break-in to report to the nearest station.
The incident has sparked concerns among residents of Soroti City East, who are calling for heightened security around schools, especially during holiday periods when institutions are most vulnerable.