Cultural practices affect school attendance at Awerial school

The head teacher of Awerial Complex Primary School has expressed worry that cultural activities are a threat to school attendance in the area.

Recently, the school registered 312 pupils, of whom 57 were girls.

However, due to cultural activities such as wrestling and fattening initiation in which young men are fed with meat and milk for months, Peter Dengic Atak says the school now has just 55 learners.

“The community perception of education is one of the effects. Parents themselves have no intention of educating their children and that is why you see them not coming to school on daily basis,” Dengic stated.

Responding to the concerns, the commissioner of Awerial County – Philip Mawut – instructed the community chiefs and parents to send back the learners to school.

“If you keep your children at home as our children study, our will be leaders rulers in future and this will bring conflict among them,” Mawut stated.

“Give them the chance to learn so that they become leaders like us in the future.”

Four months ago, during the back-to-learning campaign, commissioner Mawut threatened to arrest parents who would decline to send their children to school after government made education free.