Legislators from Karamoja have tabled a number of proposals, including compulsory free education and boarding for all learners.

They believe the move will help transform education in the sub-region.

Among the reforms, the MPs want tough penalties for parents who withdraw their children from schools to send them to city streets to beg for money.

The legislators also want government to increase the loan scheme slots for students from the sub-region and well provide free meals in government schools.

While making their presentation to the Amanya Mushega-led education policy review commission, Bokora county MP John Bosco Ngoya said the main perpetrators of insecurity in the sub-region are school dropouts who are recruited by gangs to terrorise residents in form of cattle rustling.

Ngoya argued that if all children in the sub-region are forced into boarding for the next 15 years, new recruitments for cattle rustling will not take place and peace will prevail.

He accused parents of sending their children to beg on the streets, calling for penalties on those who fail to send their young ones to school.

On the other hand, Moroto district woman MP Stella Atyang says they have assessed the impact of government loan scheme that was introduced in 2014 to help needy students access higher education.

However, Atyang says only 16 students from Moroto have got study loan in the last nine years while other districts within the sub-region hardly get a student.

The Karamoja legislators also want government to provide free meals as an incentive to keep learners in school.

Amanya Mushega has meanwhile disclosed that officials from the commission are slated to visit Karamoja next week to get the views of the population about the education sector.