Parental Care Bushenyi ends Nakivubo Blue's MDD dominance
Parental Care finished ahead of defending champions Nakivubo Blue Primary School, which came second, while Buganda Road Primary School finished third.
(Courtesy)
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Parental Care Nursery and Primary School, Bushenyi, has made history after winning the 2026 National Primary Schools' Music, Dance and Drama (MDD) Championship.
The Bushenyi-based school emerged overall champion after beating 114 other schools at the week-long competition held at Bishop Willis Core Primary Teachers' College in Iganga district.
Parental Care finished ahead of defending champions Nakivubo Blue Primary School, which came second, while Buganda Road Primary School finished third.
The victory was sealed on August 30, 2026, during a colourful closing ceremony attended by education officials, teachers, parents, pupils and partners.
Strong performances
Parental Care delivered impressive performances in several disciplines, winning the climate-change poem, folk song and storytelling categories.
The school scored 98 points in storytelling, while it tied with Nakivubo Blue on 96 points in the climate-change poem and 94 points in the folk song category.
It also finished second in the traditional African-style performance and third in drama and instrumental performance.
The results propelled the Bushenyi school to the top of the overall standings, ending Nakivubo Blue's two-year reign as national champions.
The school's young performers attracted attention with their energetic performances, rhythm and storytelling.
As the results were announced, pupils, teachers and school administrators celebrated their historic victory before receiving the championship trophy.
The value of MDD
Dr Florence Isabirye Muranga, the executive director of the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID), who presided over the closing ceremony as chief guest, said extracurricular activities were vital to the holistic development of children.
She said classroom learning alone was not enough to prepare children for life, stressing that safe learning environments should provide learners with opportunities to express themselves, ask questions, innovate and develop confidence.
“Extracurricular activities are vital to the holistic development of children,” Muranga said.
She commended schools, parents and pupils for embracing MDD and pledged continued support towards talent development.
Muranga also said Tooke would support MDD activities for the next three years.
She further called for concerted efforts to fight malnutrition, saying proper nutrition was essential for the healthy development of children.
Ministry cautions adjudicators
Robert Nikwapu, the assistant commissioner for primary education, said the Ministry of Education and Sports recognised the importance of MDD and its role in developing practical skills among learners.
He commended the organisers, host institution, participating schools and partners for contributing to the success of the championship.
Nikwapu, however, cautioned adjudicators against manipulating scores for personal interests, saying such practices undermine competitions and give participants a wrong impression of their abilities.
He also urged organisers to prioritise the welfare of learners, especially towards the end of competitions, by ensuring that programmes end early enough to allow pupils and teachers to travel safely.
Second major victory
The MDD triumph is Parental Care's second major championship victory in three days.
On Friday, August 28, the school won the East African Community Debate Championship held at King David Academy in Kigali, Rwanda.
The back-to-back victories mark a remarkable achievement for the Bushenyi-based school and highlight its growing reputation in both academic and co-curricular activities.
Parental Care Nursery and Primary School director Trevor Yebazamukama attributed the MDD success to the teamwork, commitment and dedication of teachers, parents and pupils.
He said the victory was a result of the collective effort of the entire school community.
115 schools participated
The championship attracted 115 schools, 7,763 learners and 53 officials from regional clusters across Uganda.
Partners included the United Nations, World Vision, UK Aid, Communication for Development Foundation Uganda (CDFU), Tooke and other stakeholders.
The top 20 performers, together with the three best schools, were recognised and awarded a fully paid trip to the Tooke factory.
Top 10 schools
- Parental Care Nursery and Primary School, Bushenyi
- Nakivubo Blue Primary School
- Buganda Road Primary School
- Oasis Primary School, Arua City
- St. Julie Primary School, Kibaale
- Clever's Origin
- St. Theresa Namilyango
- Namilyango Junior Boys
- Mbarara Junior School
- Tennessee Valley Primary School