66-year-old mother goes back to school

 

 

Aguti, 66, a mother of five, has raised a series of unanswered questions from the community in which she lives, by going back to school. Four of her children passed on and she remained with a son who is a secondary school teacher in Kampala.

 

She is pursuing fresh life in education at Ikwera Primary School in Aduku town, Apac district. She is in Primary Five.

 

Aguti, who divorced her husband, Michael Ocheng, 15 years ago, said she was forced to go back to school after failing to assume the position of a school matron on many attempts due to lack of proper   qualifications.

 

“My son, when my application was rejected by the director of Florence Nightngale Nursing School in Apac due to lack of an O’level certificate, I felt belittled and opted to go back to school to get what is required to compete in the job market,” Aguti narrated in an interview on Monday.

 

She was employed as a kitchen staff at the nursing school.

 

Aguti said she got an accident along the Lira-Apac highway in April last year and was nursing the injuries but the only journey she could make is walking to school, which is about 1km away. She moves with the help of crutches.

Aguti explains why she went back to school. 

 

“I was angered on several occasions when colleagues I work with in the school kitchen called me a fool because I never went to school like them,” she says.

 

Aguti says her dream is to get at least a certificate in catering and hotel management at Uganda College of Commerce  (UCC) Aduku.

 

“I would prefer Aduku UCC for my further studies because it would give me the chance to take care of my home,” Aguti says.

 

Her head teacher, Bernard Ogwang, says Aguti has changed the behaviour of other pupils by leading by example.

He said Aguti, who joined the school this term, is picking up quickly and the school management is optimistic of having her among the best performing PLE pupils in two years’ time.