By Mike Rwothomio

Seven primary schools in Zombo District have been awarded a total of UGX 280 million for school infrastructure improvement and institutional strengthening through Alochi ku Somu II project, implemented by a consortium of NGO's comprising Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CEFORD), Life Concern, and Nebbi NGO-Forum with funding from COOPERAID, swiss based Non governmental organization.

The awards were presented on Tuesday, 9 December 2025, during a ceremony at Rest Inn Hotel, Paidha Town Council, presided over by Zombo District Inspector of Schools, Mr Silvio Jalar.

In the Educational Promotion category, Destiny Nursery and Primary School emerged top and received UGX 55 million, while Kango Primary School was awarded UGX 35 million.

In the Institutional Accountability category, the winners were: Awusonzi Primary School – UGX 55 million (1st)  

Zombo Lower Primary School – UGX 45 million (2nd)  

Alube Primary School – UGX 40 million (3rd)  

Ogalo Primary School – UGX 30 million (4th)  

Ari Primary School – UGX 20 million (5th)

Speaking at the event, CEFORD Project Officer Ms. Juliet Pirango explained the rigorous and competitive selection process: “This project is a competitive one that people compete for. You very well know that in our calls for applications we invite schools to apply and then after your applications are submitted, verification is done by the project staff who report to the jury which is an independent body and presides over the selection of the schools. So we underwent those processes.”

She revealed that out of 29 schools that picked application forms, 25 were returned, but one was disqualified for having previously benefited from the project, leaving 24 eligible applicants.

An independent jury then selected the final seven winners.

Ms. Pirango warned beneficiary schools against misuse of funds, stating, “deviation from intended project” would amount to corruption and resource mismanagement. She urged school leaders to cooperate with political leaders and mobilize communities for successful implementation.

District school inspector Mr Silvia Jalar presiding over the award ceremony.

District Community Development Officer and Jury Chairperson Mr. Samuel Ocaki emphasized “collaborative leadership to ensure effective resource utilization” and commended COOPERAID “for their continuous support towards education sector in Zombo.”

CEFORD Project Coordinator Mr. John Bosco Okaya announced that the awarded funds will be held in an escrow account managed by CEFORD to prevent financial mismanagement.

He advised school heads “to organize award winning ceremony” at school level to enlighten and sensitize stakeholders on cost-sharing basis and objectives for effective project implementation.

Nebbi NGO-Forum Project Officer Mr. Alfred Ogenmungu and Life Concern representative Mr. Denis Ocuna both pledged continued capacity building for teachers, School Management Committees (SMCs), and youth skills development.

The project is now concluding its 2025 phase, having supported schools in Warr, Atyak, Zombo Town Council, Paidha Sub-County, and Paidha Town Council.

“Here we have come to witness the award of 2026 schools. We are just completing 2025 implementation this month, so from next year we shall move to other sub-counties,” Mr. Okaya explained.

In 2026, the project will cover Alangi, Zeu, Kango, Aka, and Zombo Town Council, while the final phase in 2027 will target Nyapea, Athuma, Jangokoro, Abanga, and Padea Town Council , completing support to 21 schools across all 15 sub-counties of Zombo District over three years.

The Alochi ku Somu II initiative continues to address critical challenges in Zombo’s education sector, where most of the district’s 92 government-aided primary schools suffer from dilapidated infrastructure, a dropout rate of up to 10%, and high incidences of teenage pregnancy and early marriage.

COOPERAID, a Swiss non-governmental organization, has been a long-term development partner in Zombo District, focusing on education, water and sanitation, and community empowerment.

Through the Alochi ku Somu project series, COOPERAID channels Swiss funding and technical support via local implementing partners CEFORD, Life Concern, and Nebbi NGO-Forum to rehabilitate crumbling school infrastructure, strengthen school governance structures (SMCs and PTAs), enhance teacher and learner capacity, and promote institutional accountability and educational quality across the district.

Zombo District CDO Samuel Ocaki hands over a dummy check of Ugx 40 million to the school leadership of Alube primary school at Rest in hotel in Paidha town council.

Mike Rwothomio is news editor at zoomer Africa, your number one grassroot information hub