Mengo appeals over Kabaka fund
Nov 01, 2004
THE Kabaka’s government has mooted a plan to encourage parents with children in Buganda schools to pay an additional sh1,000 as contribution towards the Kabaka Education Fund (KEF).
By Josephine Maseruka
THE Kabaka’s government has mooted a plan to encourage parents with children in Buganda schools to pay an additional sh1,000 as contribution towards the Kabaka Education Fund (KEF).
Mengo finance minister J.B. Walusimbi said this was aimed at reviving the Kabaka’s bursary scheme of the 1960s, which helped many needy people, including current prominent politicians, to pursue further studies.
He said the move would not be forced but would be broached in a friendly manner, after parents are told the advantages of the scheme.
Walusimbi, flanked by the chairman of the Buganda Education Commission (BEC), Dr. Fred Masagazi Masaazi, said last Tuesday at Bulange that they estimated about two million children to be in schools in Buganda.
He added that if each child contributed sh1,000 a year, it would raise sh2b.
KEF, a charitable organisation that has sponsored 20,000 children from primary to tertiary institutions, mainly depends on donations within and outside the country from organisations, educational institutions, individuals, companies and vacancies offered by schools.
The kingdom has also introduced the Buganda kingdom development certificates, which are sold, and a percentage of the proceeds is allocated to KEF. Recently sh1,000 certificates were introduced for school children and they are bringing in very good results.
Masagazi said BEC would tour various schools in the kingdom to explain the scheme and appealed to parents not to misinterpret their objectives.
This year KEF has sponsored 5,000 needy children from primary to tertiary institutions and this semester sh12.5m has been allocated to 21 students in tertiary institutions, of whom eight are girls. KEF receives over 50,000 bursary applications a year.
THE Kabaka’s government has mooted a plan to encourage parents with children in Buganda schools to pay an additional sh1,000 as contribution towards the Kabaka Education Fund (KEF).
Mengo finance minister J.B. Walusimbi said this was aimed at reviving the Kabaka’s bursary scheme of the 1960s, which helped many needy people, including current prominent politicians, to pursue further studies.
He said the move would not be forced but would be broached in a friendly manner, after parents are told the advantages of the scheme.
Walusimbi, flanked by the chairman of the Buganda Education Commission (BEC), Dr. Fred Masagazi Masaazi, said last Tuesday at Bulange that they estimated about two million children to be in schools in Buganda.
He added that if each child contributed sh1,000 a year, it would raise sh2b.
KEF, a charitable organisation that has sponsored 20,000 children from primary to tertiary institutions, mainly depends on donations within and outside the country from organisations, educational institutions, individuals, companies and vacancies offered by schools.
The kingdom has also introduced the Buganda kingdom development certificates, which are sold, and a percentage of the proceeds is allocated to KEF. Recently sh1,000 certificates were introduced for school children and they are bringing in very good results.
Masagazi said BEC would tour various schools in the kingdom to explain the scheme and appealed to parents not to misinterpret their objectives.
This year KEF has sponsored 5,000 needy children from primary to tertiary institutions and this semester sh12.5m has been allocated to 21 students in tertiary institutions, of whom eight are girls. KEF receives over 50,000 bursary applications a year.