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July 24, 2026Tororo Education officer Recovers Shs 800M, Warns Headteachers Against Inflating Enrolment Figures
David Imaa
In TORORO,
Tororo District Education Officer, Albert Odoi, has called on all headteachers in both primary and secondary schools to uphold integrity while submitting enrolment data through the Education Management Information System, EMIS.
Odoi made the appeal on Thursday while addressing education stakeholders in Tororo, revealing that his verification exercise helped the government avoid a potential financial loss of Shs 1.2 billion in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years. He said his office has so far recovered over Shs 800 million that would have been paid out based on inflated numbers.
Inflated numbers detected during verification
According to Odoi, headteachers are required to submit end-of-year enrolment returns to the Ministry of Education by December 31. However, when his team physically verified the actual number of learners in classrooms against what was submitted, they found significant discrepancies.
“Some headteachers inflate the numbers. When we went to count learners in class as directed by the Ministry, the total in class was less than what was on EMIS,” Odoi said. “That difference, if paid, would have cost government Shs 1.2 billion.”
He noted that the practice is not unique to Tororo, saying enrolment inflation has become a nationwide concern.
To mitigate this vice his appeal to ministry is integrate with NIRA
To end the malpractice, Odoi appealed to the Ministry of Education to integrate school enrolment data with the National Identification and Registration Authority, NIRA, database. “Linking EMIS to NIRA will ensure that only genuine learners are counted. It will remove the temptation to add ghost pupils and students,” he said.
Recovered funds to support storm-hit schools.
Odoi added that the Ministry of Education has directed that the recovered money be used for infrastructure development in schools affected by recent storms. Beneficiary schools include Petta Secondary School, Kisoko High School, Molo Primary School, and Kalait Primary School, all of which had roofs blown off by strong winds.
“The money saved belongs to the learners. We are redirecting it to repair classrooms so teaching and learning can continue without disruption,” he said. The DEO warned that his office will continue with physical headcounts and any headteacher found submitting false data will face disciplinary action.
EMIS data determines capitation grants and other government releases to schools. The Ministry of Education has in previous years flagged inconsistencies between reported enrollment and actual attendance in several district.
