Clergy want glory of Busoga schools restored

EDUCATION | BUSOGA SCHOOLS 

Once upon a time, students from all over Uganda cherished having an opportunity of studying at Busoga College Mwiri in Jinja district.

Samson Naimanhye, the Bishop of Busoga Diocese, said the school boasts of famous alumni, such as the former president Dr Apollo Milton Obote and Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda.

"It is quite unfortunate that the Busoga College of yesteryears is no more. The present school is struggling to catch up with the old status," Naimanhye said.

Mary Gunteese, the desk officer in charge of eastern region at the education ministry, identifies Namasagali College as another once top school that has gone down the drain in Busoga.

"By the early 1980s, the schools to talk about in eastern Uganda included Busoga College Mwiri, Manjasi High School, Bukedi College Kachonga, Namasagali College and Teso College. However, as I talk now, they are all simply shadows of their former selves," Gunteese said.

Naimanhye said all the affected schools happen to be Church-founded, which makes religious leaders more concerned about their current state.

"Whenever we sit as bishops, we brainstorm on this. Why is it that nowadays it is our traditional schools with children performing poorly in national examinations?" he asked.

Gunteese attributes the status quo to poor governance of the academic institutions.

"Namasagali, for example, has been drained by poor administration. Those in charge were simply not doing it right," she said.

Eria Kisambira, the Jinja district Inspector of Schools, says poor administration over the years at Busoga College Mwiri had brought about a huge debt worth billions.

"What took us this far backwards was the lack of leaders with a passion for education," Kisambira said.

Revival efforts

Kisambira said Busoga College has since 2019 got a new headteacher who is to work with a newly installed Board of Governors team.

Eng. James Dhikusooka Muwumba, the chairperson of Busoga College, says their target is to have the school enrolment pushed to over 700 as it has sharply declined.

Arthur Mbalule, the headteacher of Busoga College Mwiri, says squatters had taken advantage of the poor administration and that the current leadership is working with Busoga Diocese to enforce boundaries.

"Most of the abandoned historical school structures, such as the cricket oval, is being revamped. It is one way of restoring Mwiri to its heyday status," Mbalule said.

Gunteese said the restoration of Namasagali College is in the pipeline.

"A new headteacher has also been transferred to Namasagali, to oversee restoration efforts.

"We just hope for the best," she said. Kisambira calls on the church leaders to spiritually guide the leaders put in place.

"If these heads of schools are people of integrity, then our schools would be in capable hands."