Kwania RDC Warns Parents Against Sending School-Age Children Fishing During Holidays.

By Hillary Opio Omara 

KWANIA DISTRICT -Kwania Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Richard Arikwanga-Noon has warned parents against allowing school-going children to spend their holidays fishing,saying the practice is contributing to school dropout and poor academic performance in the district. 

Arikwanga-Noon said reports from the community indicate that many parents encourage their children to engage in fishing during school holidays,exposing them to the dangers associated with fishing and making it difficult for some of them to return to school when the new term begins.

He said the growing number of children engaged in fishing,coupled with other activities such as farming,has become a major concern for education stakeholders in Kwania and the wider Lango Sub-region.

RDC Kwania Richard Arikwanga 

The RDC urged parents to ensure that children use the holiday period responsibly and return to school when the new academic term begins. “Parents should not allow school-going children to abandon their education and engage in fishing when they are still young,” Arikwanga-Noon warned,emphasizing that children who start spending most of their time fishing risk losing interest in education. 

Margret Akello Okeng,Ayabi Sub-county Councillor and representative for agriculture, trade,industry and related sectors, supported the RDC's concerns,saying the community must work together to address the growing impact of fishing on children's education. Akello said she is committed to engaging parents and other stakeholders on the need to keep children in school instead of allowing them to move from one fishing activity to another during holidays. 

Tom Alex Opara, headteacher of Tegot Primary School in Chawente Sub-county, said schools are already experiencing a decline in enrolment,particularly in the second term. Opara attributed the trend partly to parents who fail to prioritize their children's education,resulting in some learners dropping out and joining fishing and other economic activities.

He called for stronger collaboration between schools,parents and local leaders to ensure children remain in school and complete their education. James Okol Otim,Chawente Sub-county Councillor for the male youth and Kwania District Vice Chairperson LC5,also urged parents to maintain close contact with schools and support initiatives aimed at improving education in their communities.

Okol said local leaders should continue investing in education and mobilizing communities to create an environment that encourages children to remain in school. The leaders made the remarks during the handover and commissioning of Kwania District Education Department development projects worth more than Shs637.4 million at Tegot Primary School in Chawente Sub-county.

The RDC's warning comes amid growing concerns over the impact of fishing and other economic activities on school attendance,retention and academic performance among children in fishing communities in Kwania District.