Father defied culture to send me to school
Jun 28, 2011
AT the time few girls were going up in the education ladder, Kitayimbwa beat all odds to become one of the first female African teachers, <b>Frederick Womakuyu </b>writes.
AT the time few girls were going up in the education ladder, Kitayimbwa beat all odds to become one of the first female African teachers, Frederick Womakuyu writes.
From a distance, you notice an old architectural house. It is enhanced by a lush green compound dotted with a variety of flowers. Inside the house is a spacious living room with strikingly colourful sofa sets. Seated near the entrance is 80-year-old Yekosabesi Kitayimbwa, the owner of this magnificent home.
At her age, many would expect her to keep her walking stick close. But this great grandmother walks without any support. “God has kept me strong,†she says.
Back in time when girl child education was a taboo, Kitayimbwa defied community ignorance to have an education — a decision that put her in the accolades of Uganda’s great teachers after 46 years of service.
Her take on today’s education
“Unlike today, education in the past was not about passing exams,†she reflects. Girls and boys were taught home economics — practically teaching them how to cook and manage a home.
“Students no longer go for practical lessons. Some schools teach agriculture but they have no demonstration farms,†she says. She adds that teaching is characterised by lectures and notes. But how do you expect such students to get jobs? They will not know what they are doing,†she explains.
Background
Kitayimbwa was born on September 28, 1930 in Kalamba village in Mpigi district. When she was about seven years old, she was sent to school by her father who was a teacher. But her mother objected.
“Father insisted I go to school and promised me that if I performed well, he would reward me. I went to Kagure Primary School and in Primary Three I was the best,†she says. The father rewarded her with a photo shoot at home.
In the final year of exams in Primary Six, Kitayimbwa emerged the best student at Kagure. She was admitted to Kings College Budo.
While at Budo, Kitayimbwa got saved. When she returned home, her life was so changed that she refused to be sent to buy alcohol for her parents. This annoyed her mother to the extent that she accused her of being spoilt. Kitayimbwa did not give up her new found faith and always said no to premarital sex.
At Kings College Budo, Kitayimbwa’s teacher encouraged her to take geography, English and fine art and leave out mathematics. But fine art needed more time. She failed to make it to university and instead joined Buloba Teachers College where she trained as a junior secondary school teacher before going back to Kings College Budo as a teacher in 1956.
A career spanning over 46 years
Kitayimbwa taught at Kings College Budo for five years and left for England in 1959 after winning a scholarship to study English, geography and math at Exeter University for two years.
She later joined Buloba Demonstration School as headmistress and got married in 1962, at Namirembe cathedral.
At Buloba, there were very few girls. Kitayimbwa often invited such girls and taught them in Buloba for free. The lives of such girls often improved — some learnt home economics and others started businesses.
She managed to juggle education and family life — her husband would drive her to and from school everyday. When they had a baby, he would drive her back home at lunch time to breastfeed the baby.
Kitayimbwa was a teacher as well as headmistress at Kings College Budo, Buloba Demonstration School, St. Jude Naguru, Railway Children School, Nakivubo Settlement School and Buloba Primary Teachers College.
She says at Nakivubo Settlement School, most children came from very poor families and were indisciplined. “I am happy that I instilled discipline in many such that many are now doctors, lawyers and teachers,†she says.
What others say about Kitayimbwa
Kitayimbwa’s daughter Joan Kirabo, a social worker, describes her mother as the best person she has ever met.
“Mum has a strong will and she always gets her way. She is a wise and loving mother. Even today, she takes care of us. She helps us with anything,†she adds. Her son, Emmanuel Kitayimbwa, an electrician, describes her as a lovable and principled person.
Former Prime Minister and an Old Boy of Kings College Budo, Apollo Nsibambi, who also served as the head prefect, says of his former teacher: “She was a very strict born-again Christian. I was also born again. One day, there was a concert and when people started dancing, she walked out but I did not walk out. When we went for the fellowship, I was put to task to explain why I did not walk out on something evil,†he says.
Kitayimbwa wanted to retire from teaching in 1988. However, one of the ministry of education officers told her to continue teaching.
“I retired in 2002 when I felt I was too old,†she explains. She retired when she was the deputy principal of Buloba Teachers College.
Her most memorable events
Kitayimbwa vividly recalls some of the events in her life. When she came back from England in 1961, she built a house for her parents. This motivated the villagers to educate their girls,†she explains.
She also recalls the Kabaka crisis in 1966 with bitterness. They had just built their present-day house, where she lives in Buloba on Mityana Road when Milton Obote’s soldiers jumped through the windows, looking for people not loyal to Obote. “But the commander of the group told his boys that I was his former teacher at Budo. They left us unharmed. Perhaps this is how I survived death,†she says.
From a distance, you notice an old architectural house. It is enhanced by a lush green compound dotted with a variety of flowers. Inside the house is a spacious living room with strikingly colourful sofa sets. Seated near the entrance is 80-year-old Yekosabesi Kitayimbwa, the owner of this magnificent home.
At her age, many would expect her to keep her walking stick close. But this great grandmother walks without any support. “God has kept me strong,†she says.
Back in time when girl child education was a taboo, Kitayimbwa defied community ignorance to have an education — a decision that put her in the accolades of Uganda’s great teachers after 46 years of service.
Her take on today’s education
“Unlike today, education in the past was not about passing exams,†she reflects. Girls and boys were taught home economics — practically teaching them how to cook and manage a home.
“Students no longer go for practical lessons. Some schools teach agriculture but they have no demonstration farms,†she says. She adds that teaching is characterised by lectures and notes. But how do you expect such students to get jobs? They will not know what they are doing,†she explains.
Background
Kitayimbwa was born on September 28, 1930 in Kalamba village in Mpigi district. When she was about seven years old, she was sent to school by her father who was a teacher. But her mother objected.
“Father insisted I go to school and promised me that if I performed well, he would reward me. I went to Kagure Primary School and in Primary Three I was the best,†she says. The father rewarded her with a photo shoot at home.
In the final year of exams in Primary Six, Kitayimbwa emerged the best student at Kagure. She was admitted to Kings College Budo.
While at Budo, Kitayimbwa got saved. When she returned home, her life was so changed that she refused to be sent to buy alcohol for her parents. This annoyed her mother to the extent that she accused her of being spoilt. Kitayimbwa did not give up her new found faith and always said no to premarital sex.
At Kings College Budo, Kitayimbwa’s teacher encouraged her to take geography, English and fine art and leave out mathematics. But fine art needed more time. She failed to make it to university and instead joined Buloba Teachers College where she trained as a junior secondary school teacher before going back to Kings College Budo as a teacher in 1956.
A career spanning over 46 years
Kitayimbwa taught at Kings College Budo for five years and left for England in 1959 after winning a scholarship to study English, geography and math at Exeter University for two years.
She later joined Buloba Demonstration School as headmistress and got married in 1962, at Namirembe cathedral.
At Buloba, there were very few girls. Kitayimbwa often invited such girls and taught them in Buloba for free. The lives of such girls often improved — some learnt home economics and others started businesses.
She managed to juggle education and family life — her husband would drive her to and from school everyday. When they had a baby, he would drive her back home at lunch time to breastfeed the baby.
Kitayimbwa was a teacher as well as headmistress at Kings College Budo, Buloba Demonstration School, St. Jude Naguru, Railway Children School, Nakivubo Settlement School and Buloba Primary Teachers College.
She says at Nakivubo Settlement School, most children came from very poor families and were indisciplined. “I am happy that I instilled discipline in many such that many are now doctors, lawyers and teachers,†she says.
What others say about Kitayimbwa
Kitayimbwa’s daughter Joan Kirabo, a social worker, describes her mother as the best person she has ever met.
“Mum has a strong will and she always gets her way. She is a wise and loving mother. Even today, she takes care of us. She helps us with anything,†she adds. Her son, Emmanuel Kitayimbwa, an electrician, describes her as a lovable and principled person.
Former Prime Minister and an Old Boy of Kings College Budo, Apollo Nsibambi, who also served as the head prefect, says of his former teacher: “She was a very strict born-again Christian. I was also born again. One day, there was a concert and when people started dancing, she walked out but I did not walk out. When we went for the fellowship, I was put to task to explain why I did not walk out on something evil,†he says.
Kitayimbwa wanted to retire from teaching in 1988. However, one of the ministry of education officers told her to continue teaching.
“I retired in 2002 when I felt I was too old,†she explains. She retired when she was the deputy principal of Buloba Teachers College.
Her most memorable events
Kitayimbwa vividly recalls some of the events in her life. When she came back from England in 1961, she built a house for her parents. This motivated the villagers to educate their girls,†she explains.
She also recalls the Kabaka crisis in 1966 with bitterness. They had just built their present-day house, where she lives in Buloba on Mityana Road when Milton Obote’s soldiers jumped through the windows, looking for people not loyal to Obote. “But the commander of the group told his boys that I was his former teacher at Budo. They left us unharmed. Perhaps this is how I survived death,†she says.