Mackay, Uganda’s first school
IF it wasn't for him, education in Uganda would have perhaps delayed for a few more years. But thanks to Muteesa I who asked explorer Morton Stanley to bring missionaries to Uganda.
By Tom Mutebi
IF it wasn't for him, education in Uganda would have perhaps delayed for a few more years. But thanks to Muteesa I who asked explorer Morton Stanley to bring missionaries to Uganda.
Alexander Murdoch Mackay was the first to respond to the call. To make his flock understand the word of God, which was written in a foreign language, Mackay needed to make them know how to read and write. It was against that background that he started a school whose legacy lives to date. The first class still stands at Mackay Memorial Primary School near Nateete, Kampala in form of a cave built in 1883.
The Scottish missionary was born in 1849 to Rev. Dr. Alexander Mackay.
Although he was a graduate of engineering, he also studied classical literature and natural philosophy that prepared him for the calling.
His dream of becoming a missionary was answered in 1875, when Stanley’s letter inviting missionaries to Uganda arrived. He applied to the Church Missionary Society (CMS) and at 27, was the youngest of the eight missionaries sent to Uganda.
Mackay arrived to a warm welcome from the Kabaka on November 6, 1878. But the honeymoon was shortlived when Muteesa realised that the missionaries would not augment his military might. The Arab whisperers at the Kabaka's court were also hostile to Mackay as he was against slave trade. He was also preaching against the Kabaka's vices of polygamy. To get rid of the foreigners, the Kabaka allocated land in various parts of the Kingdom to the different sects. Catholics led by Lourdel Mapeera went to Nabulagala, Moslems at Kasubi near the Tombs and Anglicans to Nateete hill.
After labouring fruitlessly for years in preaching the Gospel, Mackay saw that his only hope to break through was through education.
If he taught them to read and write, and they read the Bible, they would be forced to listen and heed the message. Mackay’s education consisted of reading, writing and arithmetics.
However, as an Engineer- missionary he taught people vocational skills such as building, printing, carpentry, cloth making masonry and others. Because of his hard work, he was nick named ‘muzungu wa kazi’(the white man of work).
His instructions were initially under tree shades. But when the number grew, a classroom in form of a cave was built that also doubled as a hiding place from Kabaka Mwanga’s agents who had become hostile to Christianity. This was later to become the nucleus of education in Uganda. This is the spot where Nateete Primary School, later renamed Mackay Memorial Primary School stands today. In 1967, Mackay College was also founded.
Under the chairmanship of Elias Byekwaso Kasozi, the director external banking at Bank of Uganda, the old boys of the school recently marked 120 years of its existence. The school headmaster, John Bosco Masiko, says although their academic standards had dropped, it was picking up.
Gertrude Ssekabira, the headmistress of Mackay College School appealed to the old students to help prop up the school’s performance. Some of the OBs include Seppi N. Kajubi, Prof Ssenteza Kajubi, James Ssewankambo, James Ddungu and Dr.James Kigozi.
Ends
IF it wasn't for him, education in Uganda would have perhaps delayed for a few more years. But thanks to Muteesa I who asked explorer Morton Stanley to bring missionaries to Uganda.
Alexander Murdoch Mackay was the first to respond to the call. To make his flock understand the word of God, which was written in a foreign language, Mackay needed to make them know how to read and write. It was against that background that he started a school whose legacy lives to date. The first class still stands at Mackay Memorial Primary School near Nateete, Kampala in form of a cave built in 1883.
The Scottish missionary was born in 1849 to Rev. Dr. Alexander Mackay.
Although he was a graduate of engineering, he also studied classical literature and natural philosophy that prepared him for the calling.
His dream of becoming a missionary was answered in 1875, when Stanley’s letter inviting missionaries to Uganda arrived. He applied to the Church Missionary Society (CMS) and at 27, was the youngest of the eight missionaries sent to Uganda.
Mackay arrived to a warm welcome from the Kabaka on November 6, 1878. But the honeymoon was shortlived when Muteesa realised that the missionaries would not augment his military might. The Arab whisperers at the Kabaka's court were also hostile to Mackay as he was against slave trade. He was also preaching against the Kabaka's vices of polygamy. To get rid of the foreigners, the Kabaka allocated land in various parts of the Kingdom to the different sects. Catholics led by Lourdel Mapeera went to Nabulagala, Moslems at Kasubi near the Tombs and Anglicans to Nateete hill.
After labouring fruitlessly for years in preaching the Gospel, Mackay saw that his only hope to break through was through education.
If he taught them to read and write, and they read the Bible, they would be forced to listen and heed the message. Mackay’s education consisted of reading, writing and arithmetics.
However, as an Engineer- missionary he taught people vocational skills such as building, printing, carpentry, cloth making masonry and others. Because of his hard work, he was nick named ‘muzungu wa kazi’(the white man of work).
His instructions were initially under tree shades. But when the number grew, a classroom in form of a cave was built that also doubled as a hiding place from Kabaka Mwanga’s agents who had become hostile to Christianity. This was later to become the nucleus of education in Uganda. This is the spot where Nateete Primary School, later renamed Mackay Memorial Primary School stands today. In 1967, Mackay College was also founded.
Under the chairmanship of Elias Byekwaso Kasozi, the director external banking at Bank of Uganda, the old boys of the school recently marked 120 years of its existence. The school headmaster, John Bosco Masiko, says although their academic standards had dropped, it was picking up.
Gertrude Ssekabira, the headmistress of Mackay College School appealed to the old students to help prop up the school’s performance. Some of the OBs include Seppi N. Kajubi, Prof Ssenteza Kajubi, James Ssewankambo, James Ddungu and Dr.James Kigozi.
Ends