Mbale honours Museveni with a primary school
Oct 16, 2007
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has had his name etched in the annals of Mbale Municipal Council. A primary school is named after him. Yoweri Museveni Primary School, located within the precincts of Namatala Primary School in Mbale Municipality Industrial Division, is two years old and has 923 pupils, 50
By Nathan Etengu
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has had his name etched in the annals of Mbale Municipal Council. A primary school is named after him. Yoweri Museveni Primary School, located within the precincts of Namatala Primary School in Mbale Municipality Industrial Division, is two years old and has 923 pupils, 505 of whom are girls. The school’s pioneer Primary Seven candidates will sit the Primary Leaving Examinations next year.
“I still have pupils on the waiting list,†the headmaster, Jackson Robert Wangwe, said recently.
The school first presented itself before Museveni during the international Youth Day celebrations in Mbale. The pupils joined other youths in a match- past that thrilled the audience.
Museveni has neither visited the school nor written to acknowledge its name. “We plan to invite the President to commission the school,†Richard Masaba, the mayor, said.
He said the name was chosen in appreciation of the President’s role in introducing Universal Primary Education (UPE).
“As a council, we felt that we should have something in memory of the President for introducing UPE that has enabled many children from poor families to access primary education. UPE has also improved girl-child education, particularly in the municipality, where girls were lured to child labour and risky behaviour,†Masaba said.
He said the idea of setting up the school was hatched in 2004 after acquiring the School Facilitation Grant.
Some members of the municipal executive committee proposed that one of the roads be named after the President in recognition of the role he had played in the development of the country.
“It was, however, argued that roads do not have much impact. We then decided to name a school after him,†Masaba said.
He said they later agreed to use part of Namatala Primary School garden to put up the school.
Wangwe said the school caters for pupils in Namatala slum and those who dropped out of Aga Khan Primary School after it reverted to its owners.
“Our enrolment is overwhelming. Some parents want to associate with the President. Others have heard of our discipline and quality teaching. Some pupils come from as far as four kilometres away,†Wangwe said.
He said the school offers break tea and lunch to pupils whose parents pay for meals.
Wangwe said since inception, the school had constructed a wall fence, demarcated the compound and planted flowers and trees.
He said they carry out monthly assessment and supervision of teachers to ensure adherence to standards.
According to Wangwe, students are barred from walking out of the school compound during mid-morning break.
“We put that regulation in place because there are numerous video halls in the neighbourhood that could lure pupils out of school,†he said.
The school, however, still faces challenges that include inadequate classrooms and teaching staff. It only has 10 teachers and needs 19 more classrooms.
Wangwe said the school is yet to be connected to the hydro-electric power grid and its boundary with Namatala Primary School had not been clearly demarcated.
“This has inhibited our development plan,†Wangwe said.
The mayor, however, was optimistic that other challenges would be overcome as the municipality embarked on its development plans.
“The most important thing is to have the school in place and the name recognised. All other developments will be undertaken. We have the commitment and the zeal,†Masaba said.
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has had his name etched in the annals of Mbale Municipal Council. A primary school is named after him. Yoweri Museveni Primary School, located within the precincts of Namatala Primary School in Mbale Municipality Industrial Division, is two years old and has 923 pupils, 505 of whom are girls. The school’s pioneer Primary Seven candidates will sit the Primary Leaving Examinations next year.
“I still have pupils on the waiting list,†the headmaster, Jackson Robert Wangwe, said recently.
The school first presented itself before Museveni during the international Youth Day celebrations in Mbale. The pupils joined other youths in a match- past that thrilled the audience.
Museveni has neither visited the school nor written to acknowledge its name. “We plan to invite the President to commission the school,†Richard Masaba, the mayor, said.
He said the name was chosen in appreciation of the President’s role in introducing Universal Primary Education (UPE).
“As a council, we felt that we should have something in memory of the President for introducing UPE that has enabled many children from poor families to access primary education. UPE has also improved girl-child education, particularly in the municipality, where girls were lured to child labour and risky behaviour,†Masaba said.
He said the idea of setting up the school was hatched in 2004 after acquiring the School Facilitation Grant.
Some members of the municipal executive committee proposed that one of the roads be named after the President in recognition of the role he had played in the development of the country.
“It was, however, argued that roads do not have much impact. We then decided to name a school after him,†Masaba said.
He said they later agreed to use part of Namatala Primary School garden to put up the school.
Wangwe said the school caters for pupils in Namatala slum and those who dropped out of Aga Khan Primary School after it reverted to its owners.
“Our enrolment is overwhelming. Some parents want to associate with the President. Others have heard of our discipline and quality teaching. Some pupils come from as far as four kilometres away,†Wangwe said.
He said the school offers break tea and lunch to pupils whose parents pay for meals.
Wangwe said since inception, the school had constructed a wall fence, demarcated the compound and planted flowers and trees.
He said they carry out monthly assessment and supervision of teachers to ensure adherence to standards.
According to Wangwe, students are barred from walking out of the school compound during mid-morning break.
“We put that regulation in place because there are numerous video halls in the neighbourhood that could lure pupils out of school,†he said.
The school, however, still faces challenges that include inadequate classrooms and teaching staff. It only has 10 teachers and needs 19 more classrooms.
Wangwe said the school is yet to be connected to the hydro-electric power grid and its boundary with Namatala Primary School had not been clearly demarcated.
“This has inhibited our development plan,†Wangwe said.
The mayor, however, was optimistic that other challenges would be overcome as the municipality embarked on its development plans.
“The most important thing is to have the school in place and the name recognised. All other developments will be undertaken. We have the commitment and the zeal,†Masaba said.