'Let music, dance and drama mould character; not corrupt it'

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BUSHENYI

In a generation where the beats of music, the grace of dance, and the power of drama shape young minds, the debate over their influence has never been more vital. 

Therefore, schools have been warned against promoting immorality among learners. This promotion, which can be through immoral music, dance and drama (MDD), among others, can lead the learners astray, according to a National Youth Council official.

NYC secretary for sports and culture, Asiimire Mackline, said, “As educators, you must ensure that our students are taught values that align with our cultural and moral standards. Immoral MDD can corrupt young minds and lead them astray.” Her call comes on the backdrop of MDD which has taken centre stage in the world and compounded through social media channels such as TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp and X for the love of trends and likes.

She made the call while presiding over the thanksgiving ceremony of Bushenyi-Ishaka municipality-based Parental Care Primary School Bushenyi for outstanding performance in the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) on February 21, 2025.

The municipality registered 814 learners getting first grade out of 1,561 from 37 primary schools. For Parental Care Primary School 76 pupils got first grade.  

Transformative potential

However, Asiimire said MDD's transformative potential when rooted in cultural integrity cannot be ignored and that it can foster creativity, self-expression, teamwork and confidence among students.

(Credit: Bruno Mugizi)

91.8% passed countrywide

According to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) 91.8% of the 786,981 who sat PLE in 2024 passed and are fit to join secondary school.

Delivering the PLE 2024 results at State House Nakasero in Kampala on January 23, 2025, UNEB executive secretary, Dan Odongo, reported to First Lady and the Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs Janet Museveni, that out of these, about 84,000 candidates passed in Division One.

He said 397,589 passed in Division Two, Division Three (165,284), and Division Four (75,556), while 64,251 were ungraded or scored Grade ‘U’.

According to Odongo, 797,444 candidates from 14,883 centres (schools) registered for PLE in 2024 compared to 749,347 in 2023. He said over 10,000 of the candidates did not appear to sit for the exams.

He added that of this number, 524,025 (65.7%) from 11,451 centres were Universal Primary Education (UPE) beneficiaries, and 273,419 (34.3%) of the candidates from 3,432 centres were non-UPE.

(Credit: Bruno Mugizi)

Motivate the teachers

Municipality inspector of schools Fred Mugisha urged schools to motivate their teachers to strive for excellent performance.

"Teachers are the backbone of our education system. When they are motivated, they can inspire and guide students to excel".

He added that it is important to lay a strong foundation right from nursery noting that every class should be treated as a candidate class.

"Teachers should strive to impart knowledge, skills, and values in their students from the early stages," he said.

School director Nshemerirwe Elvaidah, attributed the school's good performance to prayers and God-fearing values.

"We prioritise prayer and instill Godly values in our students. This has been the secret to our success and we will continue to uphold these values."

The celebration was marked with music, dance, and drama performances by the students, which showcased their talents and creativity.

The school's administration and staff were commended for their hard work and dedication to excellence.