By Ijoo Bosco
The Caretaker Minister of Education, Ibwaha Lucy, has summoned Drop in Bucket, a non-governmental organization (NGO), to explain its activities in the state following concerns over the implementation of its scholarship programmes without prior coordination with the state government.
The ministry said it had learned that the organization operates between Magwi County in South Sudan and Gulu District in northern Uganda, with scholarship activities reportedly concentrated in Nimule Town Council.
Minister Ibwaha expressed concern that the sponsorship programme was not benefiting citizens across the state, raising questions about the distribution of scholarship opportunities among counties and administrative areas.
She called for an immediate halt to scholarship programmes and other sponsorship activities until arrangements are made to ensure that all counties and administrative areas benefit fairly.
The minister emphasized the need for the organization to coordinate its activities with the relevant government institutions to promote transparency, accountability and equitable access to educational opportunities.
Meanwhile, Drop-in Bucket Programme Manager Paul Lokaba acknowledged the coordination challenges and apologized to the Ministry of Education and the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission for the lack of proper communication between the organization’s management and government institutions.
Lokaba said the organization would put its scholarship programmes on hold until it establishes closer cooperation with the relevant government ministries and institutions responsible for overseeing the implementation of the projects.
He also accepted the need to review the scholarship scheme serving South Sudanese nationals in Nimule, Magwi County, and Ugandan beneficiaries in Gulu District, pending improved coordination with the relevant authorities.
The development highlights the importance of cooperation between non-governmental organizations and government institutions in ensuring that education and sponsorship programmes are implemented in line with government priorities and benefit the intended communities.