How formal education started in Uganda

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KAMPALA - Formal education was a key component in instilling the modern colonialists’ perception of life and living.  

Beyond teaching Ugandans how to read the Bible, the colonialists introduced a system that created white-collar jobs and ‘satanised’ traditional values. Joshua Kato discusses how formal education started.

There was the written word in the Bible, but the intended recipients could not read and write. 

Certainly, some kind of training had to be carried out to ease the process of teaching the word of God.

But beyond reading and writing, the colonial education system took the route of glorifying white modernisation while downgrading African traditions. 

The very first school was started on Mengo Hill by a lady called Chadwick, a missionary.

At first, Chadwick taught reading and writing to mainly young boys who worked as helpers to missionaries around Mengo.

According to the archives at the school, most of these boys came for prayers at her home, but they did not know how to read and write. Gradually, the number kept growing as word went around among more missionaries.

Therefore, in 1895, the first school structures were set up at Mengo Hill. These were made up of strong reeds and roofed with grass. The numbers continued growing until it became necessary to construct an even larger structure to accommodate them. 

With the guidance of Apollo Kaggwa, the then Katikiro of Buganda, a building to accommodate the boys was constructed near the old structure.

It was because of the increasing numbers that in 1904, another school was started southeast of Mengo.  It was named King’s College, Budo, the Protestant-leaning school.  
While Mengo started by teaching workers of missionaries, Budo was started to teach the children of nobles,  chiefs and other distinguished leaders at the time. 

Budo was started in the picture of Eton College of Britain, which the then  Katikiro, Sir Apollo Kaggwa and Ham Mukasa visited on their trip to the UK. 

Inspired by what they saw, the two big landowners (thanks to the 1900  agreement), decided that a school similar to Eton had to be started.

When they returned, they worked together with the missionaries to start the then-only boys’ school. 

Namilyango College was founded in 1902 by the Catholic Mill Hill Fathers. It is the second oldest school.

But then one big question arose. Where would the daughters of the kings, nobles and chiefs be trained from? So, when the well-trained boys graduated from Budo and Mengo, which stature of women would they marry since there was no school to train girls? Subsequently, a decision was taken to start Gayaza High  School in 1906. 

Initially, the school was intended to train girls values of modern home economics, including washing,  cleaning houses and looking after a modern home. 

Just like Budo, Gayaza Junior first took in mainly daughters of chiefs before less noble people were allowed in. Budo followed Namilyango  College, a Catholic-leaning school that had started earlier.  

The other schools that came up were St Mary’s College  Kisubi which was started in 1906 by Reverend Raux Modeste, then later Nabumali High School in Mbale and Busoga College Mwiri in 1911, which was intended to teach the children of Basoga nobles and chiefs. 

Other schools started  

Between 1910 and independence, some of the other large schools that were set up include Mbarara High in 1911, Nyakasura school in 1926, Kibuli SS in 1945 for Muslims, Trinity College Nabbingo in 1942 for Protestant girls, Nabisunsa Girls in 1954 for Muslims, Sir Samuel Baker in 1953 for  Protestants, Ntare school in 1956 for Protestants, etc. 

In 1933, Budo got a milestone when they admitted the first girls in secondary school. At the time, no school was offering girls higher education.

Relatedly so, all the initial admissions came from Gayaza Junior School. It is also worth noting that until around 1930,  nearly all teachers in these schools were whites. 

Kabaka Daudi Chwa

Schools' notable figures  

These early schools obviously provided some of the first political, economic, religious and social leaders of pre-independence Uganda.  

For example, Budo produced Kabakas Daudi Chwa and Fredrick Muteesa, as well as politicians like Ignatius Musaazi, Samson Kisekka, Godfrey Binaisa, Yusuf Lule, Daudi Ochieng, Grace Ibingira, Erica Sabiiti, Amanya  Mushega, James Waphabulo and Agrey Awori, all of whom have featured in Uganda’s pre and post-independence history. 

Namilyango produced people like Dr Basil Bataringaya (minister), Cosmas Adyebo (former prime minister), Cuthbert Obwangor (minister), Kalule  Ssettala (minister), Gerald Ssendawula (minister), Joseph Balikuddembe, Kezimbira Miyingo, Sam Bitangaro, Nobert Mao, Agardi Didi, Lutakome Kayiira, etc.  

Gayaza produced Irene Muloki, wife of Henry Muloki of Busoga, Miria Obote, wife to Milton Obote, Edith Ssempala, Irene Muloni, Betty Bigombe, Margaret Mungherera, Allen Kagina, Princess Elizabeth Bagaya, etc.

College Education 

With students now coming out of secondary school, there was a need to take them to the next step. 

This was either a university or a technical school. So, in 1922, Makerere  University was born. At the time, it was called Uganda Technical School.

With just 14 students, the stage was set for an institution that has over 102 years trained thousands of people who have run this country.  

According to the university archives, the institute started by offering carpentry, construction and general mechanics.

Soon, it started offering medical care, agriculture, veterinary sciences and teacher training. It was in 1949 that Makerere was declared a university.

Over the years since independence, university education has become easier to join. Today, the country has got almost 100 universities, among which 11 are government-owned.