Hunger is sending children out of school in Uganda, and this worrisome trend must be addressed immediately to ensure a future not just for citizens but also for the country.

Development Diaries reports that more than 9,000 schoolchildren in the country’s Oyam District are being driven out of school every year, according to a recent study by the district’s education department.

We understand that hunger is mainly due to the lack of midday meals at learning centres and the challenges of widespread poverty.

The lack of midday meals and parental involvement, hidden costs of education, teenage pregnancy, child marriage, inability to cope with academic pressure, early exposure to sex and child labour are said to be the driving factors behind school dropout in Uganda.

School dropout rates in Uganda are high, with about 45 percent of primary school children and 30 percent of secondary school children dropping out before completing their education.

‘Children always come to school very early in the morning. Sometimes they leave home at 6 am. At school, there is no breakfast and lunch and then they go back at 6 pm. So, all this time long they are there without anything to eat’, said Oyam District Senior Education Officer, David Adea.

Providing meals for schoolchildren will go a long way towards addressing the high dropout rates and ensuring schoolchildren stay in classrooms to complete their education.

Development Diaries calls on the government, through the Ministry of Education and Sports, to immediately introduce and implement a school-feeding programme that will ensure schoolchildren are fed as they pursue academic excellence.