King Oyo launches education fund

The Omukama of Tooro kingdom Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru has created an education fund to support the needy students in their education in the newly created district of Bunyangabu.

The fund was created after the realization that many underprivileged children were unable to access education despite the prospects available through Universal Primary and Secondary Education.

Oyo announced the fund on Saturday during the thanksgiving ceremony for promotion of Col. Robert Mugabe, that children should love and promote their culture. 

Col. Mugabe was one of the UPDF soldiers who were promoted recently by President Yoweri Museveni.

Oyo hailed Col. Mugabe for supporting various developmental projects in Bunyangabu and supporting the needy students in education.

"We are celebrating the achievements of Mugabe. He has been a very instrumental in supporting various projects aimed at developing the people of Bunyagabu," Oyo said.

According to Omunyaka Kabuzi the Tooro kingdom chief for Bunyangabu district, the sponsorship programme will supplement support given through the government programs.

"The kingdom will work with leaders and other stake holders in the district to support education because we have realized that many needy students are increasingly dropping out of schools because they can't get school fees," Kabuzi said.

Businessman Chris Karobwa Tushabe said the education fund will benefit several students and urged the people of Bunyangabu to support it.

"We are happy with the initiative and as people of Tooro we shall support it with funds every year because the move is aimed at promoting education which is our core responsibility," Tushabe said.

Col. Robert Mugabe said the money will be released on an annual basis and will be channeled through the district education and youth departments.

"The Chief Administrative Officer will be responsible for the money and we shall have a committee that will be in charge of selecting the beneficiaries every year, "Mugabe said.

Mugabe said that so far in collaboration with Tooro kingdom and other stake holders, they had raised over sh10m, which will cater for the needy students. Local child rights organizations estimate that there are about 80,000 orphans in the district, most who lost their parents to AIDS.

In the recent years, the district has been performing poorly in national examinations, a sharp contrast to years back when the district's schools like Kibiito and Rwimi secondary school used to compete nationally.

"We need to support our students because we have many students who are out of schools not because they want, but because of money and I have also committed 3 million from my family every year towards the education fund," Mugabe said.