Education Gap Widens in Teso as Soroti Surges Ahead and Kaberamaido Struggles
Education Minister Janet Museveni receives results at State House Nakasero.
By Peterson Hiirya.
Newly released academic performance figures have exposed widening contrasts among districts in Uganda’s Teso sub-region, with Soroti District emerging as the region’s undisputed academic leader while Kaberamaido District lags significantly behind.
The data, drawn from grade distributions ranging from A to E across the eleven Teso districts, paints a picture of both progress and persistent disparities within the region’s education system.
Soroti Sets pace.
Leading the pack is Soroti District, which not only topped the regional rankings but also secured 14th position nationally. The district produced 957 A’s, 12,751 B’s, 30,145 C’s, 3,633 D’s, and 206 E’s — the highest distinction tally in Teso by a wide margin.
Local education leaders credit tighter school supervision, active parental involvement, and stronger academic tracking systems for the district’s sustained improvement.
With nearly 1,000 top grades, Soroti has cemented its reputation as one of Eastern Uganda’s strongest academic hubs.
Ngora and Serere Hold Firm
Trailing Soroti but maintaining competitive regional standings are Ngora District and Serere District.
Ngora ranked second in Teso and 40th nationally, posting 217 A’s alongside a balanced spread of B’s and C’s.
Serere followed closely in third place regionally (49th nationally), with performance largely concentrated in the C grade bracket — an indication of steady but improvable academic outcomes.
Middle-Tier Districts Face Mixed Outcomes.
Bukedea District (4th regionally) and Pallisa District (5th) recorded strong participation numbers but showed relatively high counts of lower grades, raising questions about learning support systems and exam preparedness.
Kumi District placed sixth regionally, delivering moderate but stable results without extreme failure rates.
Meanwhile, Amuria District ranked seventh, reflecting modest distinction performance but manageable lower-grade numbers.
Political Spotlight on Katakwi
Eighth-placed Katakwi District (100th nationally) drew attention due to its high-profile political representation.
The district is home to Uganda’s Vice President, Jessica Alupo, and State Minister for Sports, Peter Ogwang.
Despite its national prominence, Katakwi’s academic output remains modest compared to leading districts.
Education experts, however, caution against linking political stature directly to school performance, instead emphasizing sustained infrastructure development and teacher capacity building.
Kapelebyong District and Kalaki District occupied the ninth and tenth spots respectively, both struggling to increase distinction-level results while also reducing D and E grades.
At the bottom of the regional table sits Kaberamaido District, ranked 11th in Teso and 130th nationally.
With just 2 A’s recorded, alongside 249 B’s and a substantial number of lower grades, the district faces growing pressure to reassess its academic strategies, teacher deployment, and learner support frameworks.
The latest figures highlight a clear academic divide within Teso — from Soroti’s national-level competitiveness to Kaberamaido’s pressing recovery challenge.
Education stakeholders across the sub-region now face a common task: narrowing performance gaps while ensuring that progress in top districts translates into broader regional advancement.
