Nsambya Girls Mark 100 Years
Jul 20, 2003
ONE unique aspect of St. Joseph’s Girls Primary School, Nsambya, lies in the fact that it is the oldest and only educational institution, specialising in girls’ education in Kampala City Council (KCC).
By Mathias Mazinga
ONE unique aspect of St. Joseph’s Girls Primary School, Nsambya, lies in the fact that it is the oldest and only educational institution, specialising in girls’ education in Kampala City Council (KCC).
The story of this school, located on Nsambya hill, goes back to the arrival of the Franciscan Sisters, in 1903. The nuns upon arrival from Ireland identified two most pressing needs of the people; formal education and standardised medical care.
While Sr. Kevin got busy attending to hundreds of patients under a mango tree. Sr. Mary Paul, the leader of the group was busy receiving the new students. The first classroom was an open air space under the heat of the African sun.
Pupils first learned how to write in the sand and gradually upgraded to slates and copybooks. Sr. Mary Paul with hard work and patience developed the school in terms of academics and infrastructure.
Sr. Catherine took over from Sr. Mary Paul in 1925. She struggled to inculcate a sense of love for education in the young girls of that time. They chose to go to school only when they liked.
They preferred to cultivate in the gardens than to sit for hours on the “hard school benches†and stuff the alphabets and numbers in their heads. Sr. Catherine took over in 1935 till 1938. She managed to lift the standard of the school to P5 during her tenure of office.
The school became a full primary when Sr. Clare added another class in 1940. Sr. Clement replaced Sr. Clare in 1942-47.
In 1948, Sr. Mary Concepta transferred the school from the first site close to the convent, on the hospital grounds to Kevin Road, near Nsambya cemetery (near the nurses’ hostel).
Seeing even more need for expansion, the school was moved in 1951, to the present location. The Little Sisters of St. Francis since then took over control of the school.
By 1957 the young girls had become more anxious for knowledge.
They had begun to see the light and came in great numbers.
The school was inevitably divided into two streams; St. Joseph’s Primary School, Nsambya was under Sr. Nicholas and St. Mary’s Girls’ Infants School, Nsambya.
A remarkable achievement happened in 1957, when the school was handed over to the first African headmistress. Sr. George took full responsibility of the school, for one year.
The first school PTA was formed in 1961 under the chairmanship of Luke Mayanja (R.I.P.) that designed the school uniform, in 1962.
In the same year, the PTA decided to merge the two schools under one headteacher. In 1965, the parents decided to have P7 and P8 (formerly known as Junior 1 and 2).
St. Joseph’s Girls’ PS grew from strength to strength, executing its mission of educating the girls, while retaining the Franciscan concern for the poor and the needy.
The school observes its commitment to provide “all round education†which integrates the intellectual, physical, spiritual and social development of the individual student.
“We must prepare our pupils to be competitive in a country which faces the problem of unemployment,†explains Sr. Bonnie Nalwadda, the current head.
“Contemporary society prefers job makers to job seekers,†she added.
Currently, the school has 670 students, under UPE. Of these, 170 are boarders.
A number of these come from such regional countries as Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya and Congo.
This gives the school an international character. The school prides itself in having produced a good number of outstanding citizens like Prof. Josephine Nambooze, the first woman medical doctor in the country.
In recognition of the fruits that have been reaped by St. Joseph’s Primary School over the past 100 years, the pupils past and present, teachers, educationists and all people of good will have found it right and fitting to celebrate.
Celebrations were inaugurated on Sunday, July 20. The ceremony was preceded by a match past from the Constitutional Square, through various joints in Kampala. It ended at the school.
The “Centenary year†was declared. A number of development projects will be implemented during this year, whose climax will be the grand celebration in July 2004. The biggest project is the “Centenary Monument,†whose construction will start soon.
The building with three storey will house a multi-purpose hall, Computer laboratory, classrooms and administration offices.
It will be named “Mother Kevin Complex†after Sr. Kevin, the founder of the Congregation of the Little sisters of St. Francis, who run the school.
The wife of the Irish Ambassador to Uganda, was expected conducted the ceremony of breaking the ground, for this building, yesterday.
Other projects include renovations on the tailoring workshop and all buildings in general.
Sr. Bonnie Nalwadda, the headteacher has appealed for financial assistance to all people of goodwill, to ensure that the projects are fully implemented.
“We are obliged to construct even better wings that will propel St. Joseph to greater and higher horizons, on its journey through the next hundred years,†the sister says.
This lone girls’ school in Kampala is on the right track.
One of the seven Education For All (EFA) goals is that gender disparity should be done away with by 2005.
In 2003, the urgency to ensure equity, quality and access to education by all, especially women is real.
Therefore St. Joseph’s Primary School must be applauded for creating a haven for girls. As the school celebrates its centenary, are reminded of the need to send our daughters to school.
Ends
ONE unique aspect of St. Joseph’s Girls Primary School, Nsambya, lies in the fact that it is the oldest and only educational institution, specialising in girls’ education in Kampala City Council (KCC).
The story of this school, located on Nsambya hill, goes back to the arrival of the Franciscan Sisters, in 1903. The nuns upon arrival from Ireland identified two most pressing needs of the people; formal education and standardised medical care.
While Sr. Kevin got busy attending to hundreds of patients under a mango tree. Sr. Mary Paul, the leader of the group was busy receiving the new students. The first classroom was an open air space under the heat of the African sun.
Pupils first learned how to write in the sand and gradually upgraded to slates and copybooks. Sr. Mary Paul with hard work and patience developed the school in terms of academics and infrastructure.
Sr. Catherine took over from Sr. Mary Paul in 1925. She struggled to inculcate a sense of love for education in the young girls of that time. They chose to go to school only when they liked.
They preferred to cultivate in the gardens than to sit for hours on the “hard school benches†and stuff the alphabets and numbers in their heads. Sr. Catherine took over in 1935 till 1938. She managed to lift the standard of the school to P5 during her tenure of office.
The school became a full primary when Sr. Clare added another class in 1940. Sr. Clement replaced Sr. Clare in 1942-47.
In 1948, Sr. Mary Concepta transferred the school from the first site close to the convent, on the hospital grounds to Kevin Road, near Nsambya cemetery (near the nurses’ hostel).
Seeing even more need for expansion, the school was moved in 1951, to the present location. The Little Sisters of St. Francis since then took over control of the school.
By 1957 the young girls had become more anxious for knowledge.
They had begun to see the light and came in great numbers.
The school was inevitably divided into two streams; St. Joseph’s Primary School, Nsambya was under Sr. Nicholas and St. Mary’s Girls’ Infants School, Nsambya.
A remarkable achievement happened in 1957, when the school was handed over to the first African headmistress. Sr. George took full responsibility of the school, for one year.
The first school PTA was formed in 1961 under the chairmanship of Luke Mayanja (R.I.P.) that designed the school uniform, in 1962.
In the same year, the PTA decided to merge the two schools under one headteacher. In 1965, the parents decided to have P7 and P8 (formerly known as Junior 1 and 2).
St. Joseph’s Girls’ PS grew from strength to strength, executing its mission of educating the girls, while retaining the Franciscan concern for the poor and the needy.
The school observes its commitment to provide “all round education†which integrates the intellectual, physical, spiritual and social development of the individual student.
“We must prepare our pupils to be competitive in a country which faces the problem of unemployment,†explains Sr. Bonnie Nalwadda, the current head.
“Contemporary society prefers job makers to job seekers,†she added.
Currently, the school has 670 students, under UPE. Of these, 170 are boarders.
A number of these come from such regional countries as Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya and Congo.
This gives the school an international character. The school prides itself in having produced a good number of outstanding citizens like Prof. Josephine Nambooze, the first woman medical doctor in the country.
In recognition of the fruits that have been reaped by St. Joseph’s Primary School over the past 100 years, the pupils past and present, teachers, educationists and all people of good will have found it right and fitting to celebrate.
Celebrations were inaugurated on Sunday, July 20. The ceremony was preceded by a match past from the Constitutional Square, through various joints in Kampala. It ended at the school.
The “Centenary year†was declared. A number of development projects will be implemented during this year, whose climax will be the grand celebration in July 2004. The biggest project is the “Centenary Monument,†whose construction will start soon.
The building with three storey will house a multi-purpose hall, Computer laboratory, classrooms and administration offices.
It will be named “Mother Kevin Complex†after Sr. Kevin, the founder of the Congregation of the Little sisters of St. Francis, who run the school.
The wife of the Irish Ambassador to Uganda, was expected conducted the ceremony of breaking the ground, for this building, yesterday.
Other projects include renovations on the tailoring workshop and all buildings in general.
Sr. Bonnie Nalwadda, the headteacher has appealed for financial assistance to all people of goodwill, to ensure that the projects are fully implemented.
“We are obliged to construct even better wings that will propel St. Joseph to greater and higher horizons, on its journey through the next hundred years,†the sister says.
This lone girls’ school in Kampala is on the right track.
One of the seven Education For All (EFA) goals is that gender disparity should be done away with by 2005.
In 2003, the urgency to ensure equity, quality and access to education by all, especially women is real.
Therefore St. Joseph’s Primary School must be applauded for creating a haven for girls. As the school celebrates its centenary, are reminded of the need to send our daughters to school.
Ends