Trees offer a serene environment at Kampala Parents School

A story about Kampala Parents School cannot be complete with its trademark trees. The school's sprawling compound is filled with hundreds of trees, giving the school a beautiful and serene environment.

Located in Naguru, Kampala, the school is one of the pioneer private primary schools in Uganda with a population of over 2,500 pupils.

How it all started

According to Daphne Kato, the head teacher, the school management has been in a drive to green the school since 2004 when businessman Dr. Sudhir Ruparealia bought it.   

"Dr. Sudhir is passionate about the environment," Kato says. She adds that even then, a good school should have trees to promote a serene environment and natural beauty.

Kato explains that a serene environment provides an aesthetically stimulating environment that inspires and fosters happy and motivated children.

The school planted a variety of trees, each for a specific purpose. The trees were planted for beauty and to provide shade.

According to Kato, the target was to have every inch of soil covered with a plant.

The trees included albizia grandi bracteata, spathodia campanulata commonly as the African Tulip tree, the evergreen tebebuia pentaphylla renowned for its pink showy flowers, and the umbrella tree.

The school also planted ficus bejamina, the ornamental tecoma stans and tabernaemontana. Other trees are monodora myristica commonly known as the calabash nutmeg and bauhinia and roystonia regia commonly known as the royal palm.

A quadrangle at the school

 
Impact

The trees came with a calming atmosphere and a conducive environment and the school is utilising it maximally.  

"However hot the weather is, the trees moderate it, our classrooms are never hot which enhances concentration during lessons," Kato says.

She adds that the trees have been used during lessons, especially science ones.

James Makada, the head of the social studies department at the school, says the trees are windbreaks, protecting the school infrastructure from strong winds.

Salmah Nampeera, a pupil, says the trees have made the school beautiful. "We have all kinds of trees and our school looks beautiful because of the trees," Nampeera says. She adds that the students use the trees extensively while studying. "When a teacher is teaching about leaves or roots, he brings us out and we study them practically."

Tony Ampaire, a parent at the school, says the trees make the school to stand out. "It is one of the most beautiful schools in Uganda because of the trees that dot the school environment.

Kato adds that the school has been able to contribute to the protection of wildlife, especially insects and birds as thousands of these have made the trees their home.