England back from ashes
Nov 07, 2005
<br>A LOT of tradition and reverence surrounds students’ dormitories at Kings College Budo. So when England House, one of the seven boys’ dormitories was burned down in March last year, there was much pain, not just for the loss of students’ valuables, but also for the loss of a legacy — th
By Stephen Ssenkaaba
A LOT of tradition and reverence surrounds students’ dormitories at Kings College Budo. So when England House, one of the seven boys’ dormitories was burned down in March last year, there was much pain, not just for the loss of students’ valuables, but also for the loss of a legacy — the England legacy.
For nearly one year after the inferno, “Englandersâ€(residents of the house) have had to live in “exile†— somewhere in the less cozy confines of a library. Mystery still surrounds the cause of the fire that destroyed one of the most admired dormitories at the school.
“Many theories have been advanced, but we haven’t quite established the actual cause of the fire,†the head teacher, George William Ssemivule, said.
After all the waiting by students, tireless fundraising by parents, Old students and friends of Budo, the first phase of the over sh480m project is complete.
The first phase of the structure comprising an open dormitory for the 0’level students and cubicles with reading rooms for A’level students was officially opened last Sunday, October 30 by the Minister of State for Higher Education, Simon Mayende. On the same occasion, the minister also performed a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a sh200m swimming pool and a sh650m new library as part of the projects to mark the school’s centenary celebrations next year.
According to Ssemivule, the second phase, which will include a water tank, showers and toilets, is yet to be completed. It is expected to cost between sh120-l50m.
The new England House is a spacious house with a capacity of about 160 students and modern facilities including energy saving lights, waterborne toilets, smoke detectors and automatic electric switch systems.
It is a magnificent L -shaped single story structure of fine concrete and cream walls, Its high rising red tiled roof beckons the blue skies and lends an imposing outlook to the newest and most modern building at the school campus. From its location in a low-lying stretch in the middle of the school campus, flanked by the ageing Ghana and Canada houses, the new England house symbolises modernity in an environment that is characterised by old, traditional architecture. The reconstruction of this house at this time bears a lot of significance for many Budonians.
For many, it marks a new chapter in the school’s history, a new phase that embraces modernity in a society that seems to cherish and hold on to tradition.
For some students, it is a restoration of the once lost hope.
“We are so proud to be back home,†said Kawesa Mustapha, a resident of the house. For others, it is the continuation of a much-cherished culture.
“It has the most organized, some of the cleanest, disciplined and serious boys. They are gentlemen, the typical Budonians,†said Sarah Bulibwa an S5 from Grace House.
For other students, it remains a much-revered domicile- clean, beautiful, different but sophisticated and pompous house, just like many of its occupants.
But for Budo, it is a place that has nurtured many responsible citizens like Abu Mayanja, Sam Kutesa, Prince John Barigye, Alan Shonubi among many others.
For sceptics however, unanswered questions still shroud the circumstances leading to the burning of the former England House as others hope that such disasters never happen again.
According to Dr. Kayondo, England house is one of the first students dormitories built at Kings College Budo. It was called England, after one of the commonwealth states.
In 1953 the recently burned England house was constructed with a grant from the protectorate government under the leadership of Timothy Cobb as Head teacher.
Since time immemorial, England House has stood out among other houses for its regal, unique architectural design and “whitenessâ€. Why has England house always looked so different?
A LOT of tradition and reverence surrounds students’ dormitories at Kings College Budo. So when England House, one of the seven boys’ dormitories was burned down in March last year, there was much pain, not just for the loss of students’ valuables, but also for the loss of a legacy — the England legacy.
For nearly one year after the inferno, “Englandersâ€(residents of the house) have had to live in “exile†— somewhere in the less cozy confines of a library. Mystery still surrounds the cause of the fire that destroyed one of the most admired dormitories at the school.
“Many theories have been advanced, but we haven’t quite established the actual cause of the fire,†the head teacher, George William Ssemivule, said.
After all the waiting by students, tireless fundraising by parents, Old students and friends of Budo, the first phase of the over sh480m project is complete.
The first phase of the structure comprising an open dormitory for the 0’level students and cubicles with reading rooms for A’level students was officially opened last Sunday, October 30 by the Minister of State for Higher Education, Simon Mayende. On the same occasion, the minister also performed a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a sh200m swimming pool and a sh650m new library as part of the projects to mark the school’s centenary celebrations next year.
According to Ssemivule, the second phase, which will include a water tank, showers and toilets, is yet to be completed. It is expected to cost between sh120-l50m.
The new England House is a spacious house with a capacity of about 160 students and modern facilities including energy saving lights, waterborne toilets, smoke detectors and automatic electric switch systems.
It is a magnificent L -shaped single story structure of fine concrete and cream walls, Its high rising red tiled roof beckons the blue skies and lends an imposing outlook to the newest and most modern building at the school campus. From its location in a low-lying stretch in the middle of the school campus, flanked by the ageing Ghana and Canada houses, the new England house symbolises modernity in an environment that is characterised by old, traditional architecture. The reconstruction of this house at this time bears a lot of significance for many Budonians.
For many, it marks a new chapter in the school’s history, a new phase that embraces modernity in a society that seems to cherish and hold on to tradition.
For some students, it is a restoration of the once lost hope.
“We are so proud to be back home,†said Kawesa Mustapha, a resident of the house. For others, it is the continuation of a much-cherished culture.
“It has the most organized, some of the cleanest, disciplined and serious boys. They are gentlemen, the typical Budonians,†said Sarah Bulibwa an S5 from Grace House.
For other students, it remains a much-revered domicile- clean, beautiful, different but sophisticated and pompous house, just like many of its occupants.
But for Budo, it is a place that has nurtured many responsible citizens like Abu Mayanja, Sam Kutesa, Prince John Barigye, Alan Shonubi among many others.
For sceptics however, unanswered questions still shroud the circumstances leading to the burning of the former England House as others hope that such disasters never happen again.
According to Dr. Kayondo, England house is one of the first students dormitories built at Kings College Budo. It was called England, after one of the commonwealth states.
In 1953 the recently burned England house was constructed with a grant from the protectorate government under the leadership of Timothy Cobb as Head teacher.
Since time immemorial, England House has stood out among other houses for its regal, unique architectural design and “whitenessâ€. Why has England house always looked so different?