Muslim elites and researchers in Teso sub- region have summarised the major challenges affecting Muslim education in the region as lack of support from Muslim leaders and lack of accountability for Muslim resources.
Sheikh Abubakar Obilan, one of the Muslim elites and researchers in the region said, there is no trained Muslim teachers, insufficient learning materials, infrastructure and lack of capacity building among the few personnel manning Muslim affairs.
The remarks were made as Uganda Muslim Supreme Council(UMSC) education secretary, Sheikh Juma Bakhit Cucu who is in Soroti City inspected some of the projects in this region.
At Siirit Primary and Orphanage Center, Cucu was welcomed by the head teacher Sheikh Ali Opolot and the director of the Centre Ssebunya Mahmood.
The host explained that the newly completed school is only four months old with an enrollment of 130 orphans. The center has the capacity of 200 learners.
Cucu thanked the School management and the donors for the work well done and urged them to design a strategic plan to sustain the school when donor fatigue sets in.
Cucu was saddened by the sorry state of Soroti Islamic and Swaria Primary Schools that were built decades ago.
The head teachers Moses Oyala pointed out various challenges that include lack of trained Muslim teachers and very old classroom structures as some of the factors affecting the operation of the schools.
“I am not a Muslim but I am a straight forward person. Tomorrow I will go and my wish is to leave when the school has legally acquired its land. Otherwise, many squatters have encroached on it,” said Oyala.
In his response to some of these issues, Cucu urged Muslim leaders to take up the issue of school land seriously and mobilize Muslim parents to educate their children.
He also encouraged them to train as teachers in order to solve of the challenge of lack of Muslim teachers.
Teso Muslim District Council led by the District Kadhi Sheikh Asuman Muhammad Ocen has in partnership with Siirt Khturve Yardim Lasirvd Fath led by Salih Keklik, a Turkiye based nonprofit making organization and the Jinja based local NGO Umul Qurah built three schools and also started welfare programs catering for orphans and vulnerable children.
Photos,some of the built schools
