They struggled to make it to Makerere

By Angela Kamugasa WHEN Nkata Musa Mutyaba’s father failed to pay his shcool fees after the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), Mutyaba never thought he would ever go to Makerere University. However, he was one of the freshers who reported for orientation week last Saturday, at Makerere. Mutyaba is not an ordinary student. After all, he sat his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams in his mid-40s. He sat his PLE in 1966 long before most of the freshers were born. The 47-year-old father who was in the same class as his son but in a different school, will be reading Education at Makerere. Although, he has come this far, it has not been an easy ride for Mutyaba. Everybody was shocked to see a man of his age back in school. Many wondered what would become of his family while he studied. “The teachers, community and studentsS were confused when they saw me at school. They thought that I was joking and could not manage because I had dependants. “Nevertheless, the children managed to relate to me as a colleague. Sometimes, they looked at me as a father. The teachers were understanding and very helpful. They would give me notes and books to help with my revision,” Mutyaba recalls. He explains, “after my PLE, my father did not have money to further my studies. But I had passed and been admitted to Kibuli SSS. However, I enrolled in a Moslem institution in Buikwe where they trained me on how to interpret the Koran.” After completing studies at the institution, Mutyaba became an Imam like his father. In 1980 after his father Ali Musoke died, Mutyaba became the Imam of Nkokonjeru. In the same year, he married Hasfa and bought land where he derives his livelihood. Mutyaba grows vanilla and coffee and rears cattle. “My wife had to work harder even putting food on the mat was her duty. My cow, which used to produce 20 litres of milk died of East Coast fever,” he says. Mutyaba, is a person whose heart is after education. This strong passion for education made him build a school in Nkokonjeru called Nkokonjeru Umem Primary School in 1984. “I have always valued education,” Mutyaba stresses. “But later, I realised that building a school was not good enough. So, I joined senior one in Nkokonjeru Parents school,” he adds. Mutyaba got an aggregate of 19 at ‘O’ level and aggregate 20 at ‘A’ level. He was admitted to Makerere University for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education but his passion is Mass Communications. “I was the best in my school but my son who sat exams with me did not make it. My son was suspended because he had escaped and gone for a disco,” Mutyaba says. saysmatter of fact manner. Despite his academic achievements, he does not think that his wife, a P.7 drop out would want more education. “I have never suggested to her that she should study. I do not think that she would be interested after what we have gone through,” Mutyaba, states. Though admitted for education, Mutyaba’s first choice was mass communication. He loves writing. “There are so many injustices committed in villages which I want highlighted. There is a lot of corruption and harassment in the lower courts,” he expresses with zeal. Although, he has not made for mass communication, he is determined to pursue a post graduate course in journalism. His dream is to become an environment writer. He expresses,’Since Ndyakira Amooti died there is a gap in environment reporting which I want to fill.’ He ends, by saying, ‘I feel sorry for people like Naomi Kabasharira who forge academic papers. It is better to join school. Young people should work hard. Stop the assumption that education, prepares you for work only. It is a necessary resource in getting a civilised society.” ************************* By Catherine Ntabadde My family had economic problems, yet I really wanted to join university. Lucky enough I finished A level but through hard times. I even did not know whether I would make it.” He looks calm smiling all the time and very determined. When you talk to him, you will realise that he is happy after finishing school. A teacher now at Bugiri High School, Yusuf Kirunda 19, an S. 6 leaver of Nkutu Memorial Secondary School has always had an ambition of reaching university level. Finishing ‘O’ and ‘A’ level was not easy. The fifth in the family of 11 children, Kirunda says that schooling has not been easy. “I was clever and bright. But without money I was useless and would not go anywhere.” Kirunda says he spent a year without joining ‘A’ level due to lack of school fees. His father, Badru Kirunda, was a herdsman with 26 cattle and a shamba of coffee. Misfortune visited the family when the cattle died in an epidemic and the coffee was hit by coffee wilt. This made Kirunda’s life worse. Kirunda recalls he was the best ‘O’ level student in Buwunga sub-county, Bugiri District, with 10 points. “From then I got hope and I only had to concentrate on my books if I was to succeed,” he says. Kirunda says that after passing, he knew that he stood a chance to join ‘A’ level. Kirunda who offered HEG-D says that he was performing very well and expected 25 points but got 24. He wants to read Social Works and Social Administration or Education at Makerere University. However, he nearly missed out when he started spending more time in video halls and discos instead of studying. and I had put books aside as I enjoyed a lot of pleasure,” he says. Kirunda gained more interest in movies which he watched at any hour forgetting about books. His uncle always reminded him to read since his performance had declined but Kirunda would not listen. At that time, economic problems worsened at home as his family became poorer yet he had reached O level. All candidates were supposed to be in boarding section. There was no choice because the school administration had to chase him away. “ When I was chased, that is when I realised that leisure and movies should come to an end,” Kirunda says. Kirunda says his father borrowed some money for him to join boarding but still the money would not support him until he left the school. “I decided to join a private school, Iganga Integrated School because I was now in need of studying.” Kirunda says that it was a school in name but not in reality. “ That was not a school. I stayed there for a month without a teacher in class,” he said. His father advised him to leave school and sit at home since school authorities were not attending to him. With his increased determination to study, Kirunda decided to join another private school, Kigulu College Namungala to finish O level thinking. Despite of the economic problems in his family, Kirunda gained more interest to study after one of his brothers finished University level at Islamic University of Uganda, he knew that he would make it too.