Hunger drives hundreds of pupils out of class in Lira schools

A worsening school meals crisis in northern Uganda is forcing hundreds of pupils out of classrooms in Lira and surrounding districts, raising alarm among education officials over increasing absenteeism, poor concentration and declining academic performance.

Teachers and school administrators say many learners in government-aided primary schools are increasingly missing afternoon lessons because they spend entire school days without food. In some cases, children reportedly leave school before classes end in search of something to eat.

The problem is particularly affecting Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools, where many parents struggling with poverty are unable to provide lunch or packed meals for their children despite government recommendations encouraging school feeding programmes.

Education stakeholders in the Lango sub-region say hunger has become one of the leading causes of absenteeism, especially during afternoon hours when pupils lose concentration and energy in class.

At some schools in Lira City, teachers report that vulnerable children, including those from low-income households, often struggle to follow lessons because they attend classes on empty stomachs. School administrators warn that the situation is affecting learners’ ability to read, write and actively participate in classroom activities.

Local leaders and education officials fear the crisis could worsen school dropout rates if urgent interventions are not introduced. They argue that while enrolment under UPE remains high, keeping learners in class throughout the day has become increasingly difficult due to economic hardships facing many families.

Northern Uganda continues to face lingering economic challenges years after conflict disrupted livelihoods and social services across the region. Community leaders say many households are still struggling to recover, leaving parents unable to consistently support school feeding initiatives.

Education experts maintain that school meals programmes play a critical role in improving attendance, learner retention and academic performance. Schools with organised feeding arrangements reportedly register better attendance and classroom participation compared to those without meals.

Authorities are now calling for stronger collaboration between government, parents and development partners to address hunger in schools, warning that failure to act could undermine efforts to improve education standards in northern Uganda.

The growing crisis has renewed debate over whether Uganda should adopt a more structured national school feeding policy, particularly for vulnerable regions where poverty continues to affect children’s access to education.