Museveni contributes sh592m to Ntare School Rwanda

By Vision Reporter

President Yoweri Museveni has contributed $200,000 (about sh592m) towards the construction of Ntare School in Rwanda. He made a cash payment of $100,000 (about sh296m) with the remaining $100,000 to be settled later.

Museveni announced his contribution last evening during a fundraising dinner organised by the Rwanda Chapter of Ntare School Old Boys Association at the Serena Hotel in Kigali. The dinner was also graced by president Paul Kagame of Rwanda, himself an Old Boy of Ntare School in Mbarara.

Museveni, who arrived in Kigali yesterday on a 2-day working visit told guests at the fundraising dinner that Ntare School was the first government school in Uganda that was established in 1956 and admitted students on non-denominational basis.

He said this is the reason Ntare School has a unique history that has made a big impact. He said other schools then were denominational such as King’s College, Budo which was for Protestants, St. Mary’s College, Kisubi for Catholics and Kibuli Secondary School for Muslims.

“This is the uniqueness of Ntare School; it is a non-sectarian school in Uganda. I don’t know whether the school you are starting is Catholic, Kinyarwanda or what. I want it to be a Rwandan School and an East African one,” he emphasised.

Museveni added that when the Governor of Uganda, Sir Andrew Cohen, sensed the danger of establishing schools along religious denominations, he championed the idea of starting schools for all people of Uganda regardless of their divergent religious denominations. He, at this juncture, cautioned the people of Rwanda against divisionism on tribal and religious backgrounds.

President  Paul Kagame  on his part, congratulated Ntare School Old  Boys both from Uganda  and Rwanda for their support  towards the establishment  of  Ntare  School in Rwanda.  He asked them to continue strengthening the relationship and inculcate the spirit of togetherness not only between the two countries of Uganda and Rwanda, but the entire East African region as whole.

He thanked President Museveni for accepting their invitation to be part of the occasion adding that his decision to travel to Rwanda was a clear demonstration of Museveni’s love for development. He noted that while at Ntare School in Mbarara,   they were able to enjoy social life with the local communities adding that this exposure provided them with another home.

Before the fundraising dinner, Presidents Museveni and his host Kagame held talks at Serena Hotel. They discussed issues of mutual interest between their two countries Rwanda and Uganda.

According to the organisers of the fundraising dinner, Ntare School Rwanda Chapter, is expected to be a modern institution in Africa with international standard catering for both international and national curricula.