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Over 150 Pupils Sleeping in Classrooms at Losakucha Primary School
P3 classroom which at night houses lower primary pupils for boys (photo Richard Onapatum)
KOTIDO, UGANDA — July 14, 2025
A heartbreaking reality is unfolding in Uganda’s Karamoja Region, where Losakucha Primary School, located in Kapeta Sub County, Kotido District, has become a flashpoint in the national conversation about education equity. With 1,557 pupils enrolled and only a handful of functioning classrooms, the school has turned to an extreme, yet urgent measure: converting daytime classrooms into makeshift dormitories.
At night, learning spaces become survival spaces. Desks are shoved aside. Mats and torn blankets take their place on bare concrete floors. By dawn, the very floors children slept on are swept and repurposed for lessons. It is a cycle that repeats every day—for 155 boarders including 43 Primary Seven candidates—underscoring just how far communities are willing to go for education.
The Story Behind the Crisis
Losakucha Primary stands out as one of the busiest schools in Karamoja, and its swelling population reflects both increased enrolment efforts and rising community trust. But as the numbers grew, facilities lagged behind.
- Total Pupils: 1,557
- Boarding Pupils: 155 (88 boys, 67 girls)
- Boarding Levels: Primary Four to Primary Seven
- P.7 Candidates: 43 preparing for final exams
According to Headteacher Akot Susan, the decision to board pupils stemmed from an urgent need to retain students who walked several kilometers daily to attend classes. “Many of these children come from villages over 9 km away,” she said. “When rains begin or food runs short, they miss school. Boarding gives them a fighting chance.”
But in a school without a single purpose-built dormitory, where classrooms lack basic ventilation and nighttime lighting, the solution came with enormous trade-offs.
Classrooms as Bedrooms
Each evening, designated classrooms are transformed. A Primary Seven room, still covered in chalk from the day’s math lesson, becomes sleeping space for ten adolescent boys. The only privacy is drawn from silence; the only comfort comes from patched blankets, straw mats, and dreams of academic escape.
“My blanket is just part of my father’s old coat,” said 12-year-old Lokol Joseph, one of the candidates. “But I sleep beside my books, and that reminds me why I must stay.”
Girls face additional challenges. With no dormitory designated for them, many walk home nightly, navigating poorly lit paths and exposure to risks. “We want to board too,” whispered Akeru Agnes, a Primary Six pupil. “But there’s nowhere safe for us.”
Teachers Go Beyond the Call
The crisis hasn’t just pushed children to the edge—it’s tested the endurance and sacrifice of staff. Teachers now alternate nighttime supervision shifts, sleeping on benches beside their pupils. Headteacher Lomuria remains on-site most nights, managing not just academics, but safety, meals, and emotional needs.
“We are more than educators now,” he said. “We are guardians, cooks, medics, even parents. Because the alternative is watching these children fall away.”
Food, Water, and Community Aid
Without a kitchen or water tap, pupils bathe at a community borehole. Meals are cobbled together by contributions from parents—many of whom struggle economically but prioritize learning above all.
In a gesture of resilience, Kapeta Sub County residents donated 20 acres of land for the school to grow food crops and reduce reliance on community kitchens. “It may take time, but this land is our hope,” said Paul Ilukol, Chairperson of the School Management Committee. Parents have committed to clearing and planting it once rains arrive.
The school also recently benefited from a UNICEF-funded WASH initiative, part of the KOICA partnership that improved water access and sanitation for over 65,000 learners across Karamoja. Still, teachers say deeper support is needed to sustain health, nutrition, and dignity among their students.
A Policy Conflict
Uganda’s Ministry of Education prohibits the use of classrooms as dormitories—emphasizing risks of fire outbreaks, poor hygiene, and overcrowding. In Amolatar District, authorities have actively banned the practice.
However, Kotido education officials acknowledge the grey area, arguing that condemning these adaptations without offering solutions is unjust.
“These aren’t defiant schools—they’re desperate, “Policy must reflect reality. Losakucha isn’t violating the law—it’s saving lives.”
A Community That Refused to Give Up
Despite the strain, Losakucha’s spirit remains unbroken. The school continues to record higher attendance, better engagement, and a renewed culture of hope. Teachers report a spike in confidence and participation among boarding students, especially those in exam classes.
“This is more than a sleeping arrangement—it’s a lifeline,” said, a senior teacher. “Every day they show us that education matters. All we ask is that someone shows up for them.”
A Final Thought
The children of Losakucha don’t ask for luxuries. They sleep where they learn. They dream among chalk dust and stand tall in overcrowded spaces.
Their story isn’t one of pity—it’s one of courage. But courage needs infrastructure. And if there is any school in Uganda that has earned a proper dormitory through grit and sacrifice, it is Losakucha Primary.