At 2pm, Juliet’s desk at Walela Primary School in Ayami Sub-county, northern Uganda, is empty.
The 15-year-old Primary Six pupil left home at 6am on June 16 carrying 20 mangoes tied in a black polythene bag, her only meal for the school day.
By break time, she had eaten half. At lunchtime, she shared the rest with classmates who had come to school without food.
Hours later, Juliet was among hundreds of learners who had abandoned lessons because of hunger.
‘When I set off on foot at 6am, I reach school at around 7am,’ she said, her uniform covered in dust from the long walk.
‘Due to lack of midday meal at school, I ensure I carry mangoes which I eat during break time and lunch time. I also share others with friends.’
Walela Primary School is among several government-aided schools in northern Uganda where the school feeding programme depends largely on contributions from parents.
Under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) arrangement, parents are expected to provide food items such as maize flour and beans. But for many households struggling with poverty and unreliable harvests, contributing meals for school children competes with feeding their own families.
When food is unavailable, teachers say the consequences are immediate: pupils arrive hungry, struggle to concentrate and often leave before the end of the school day.
A teacher at Walela said 674 pupils reported to school on June 16, but fewer than 400 remained by break time.
‘Pupils who cannot endure hunger find it challenging to regularly attend lessons. Some come late after breakfast or lunch at home. Those who arrive early start escaping at 10am. By 2pm, nearly half the day’s attendance is gone,’ the teacher said.
Nutrition experts say children require adequate calories and nutrients to sustain concentration, memory and physical growth. Teachers at Walela report cases of dizziness, headaches and frequent illness among pupils who regularly attend classes without meals.
For pupils walking long distances to school, the challenge is even greater.
‘The mangoes help me survive the day, but sometimes when you are hungry, you cannot understand what the teacher is saying,’ said Primary Six pupil Emmanuel Ojok.
At Walela, hunger has also coincided with poor academic performance.
In the 2025 Primary Leaving Examinations, 19 candidates sat for the national exams. None obtained Division One or Two, while only two managed Division Three.
Parents in Ayami Sub-county say many families cannot afford to consistently contribute food because they depend on small-scale farming affected by unpredictable weather.
Ayami LC3 chairperson George Obia said parents should recognise their role in supporting school feeding.
‘They shouldn’t expect magic from the school because our parents so many times have been blaming the teachers for poor academic outcomes,’ he said, adding: ‘But they need to understand that currently the school feeding programme in Uganda is jointly led by government and the parents.’
Efforts to improve learning conditions
Despite the challenges, interventions under the Community Score Card (CSC) initiative have helped improve conditions at Walela Primary School.
The initiative, implemented under the Catalyzing Strengthened Policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience (CASCADE) project by a consortium including CARE International and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), focuses on nutrition, sanitation and community accountability.
Through the project, Walela received 50 additional desks after community leaders highlighted severe shortages. The school previously had only 42 desks for 814 pupils.
The project also supported rehabilitation of the school borehole, reducing the distance pupils travelled to access water.
Previously, learners walked about 500 metres to a community water source, often creating conflicts with residents.
School authorities say the repaired borehole has improved hygiene for pupils and teachers, although overcrowded classrooms remain a challenge.
Ms Christine Akoli, the Ayami assistant agricultural officer, said the school is also developing a garden to support nutrition.
Despite weather challenges, the school currently grows maize and vegetables to supplement food supplies.
Ms Immaculate Daisy Yossa, Consortium Manager for CASCADE Uganda, said the Community Score Card approach helps communities and service providers identify challenges and jointly develop solutions.
‘By creating this feedback loop, the project ensures that public services are not only available but also responsive to the actual needs of the community,’ she said.
For pupils like Juliet, however, the biggest obstacle remains unchanged.
A school day without food can mean a day without learning.