Church Rewards Best Schools

This article was first published in the New Vision on 8th September, 2021

By Mathias Mazinga

The Church of Uganda has paid special recognition to 14 schools of its affiliation, which had an outstanding performance in the 2020 Uganda Certificate of Education Examinations (UCE).

Rewarded Schools

These include King’s College Budo, Gayaza High School, Iganga SS, Ndejje SS, Bweranyangi Girls’ SSS, Mengo Senior School and Kitende SS.

Others are Mbarara Boys’ High School, Makerere College School, Busoga College Mwiri, Wanyange Girls’ School, Ngora High School, Dr Obote College and Bishop’s SS Mukono.

The schools were given a meritorious certificate of appreciation from the Church of Uganda Directorate of Education Services.

Teachers Commended

The function took place at the provincial offi ces in Namirembe on September 1, presided over by the Archbishop, Dr Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, who commended the headteachers and members of staff of the recognised schools for their goodwill, resilience and creativity, which he said had led to their impressive performance.

“I wish to commend your services, particularly during this period when the education sector is badly hit by the effects of COVID-19. I am cognisant that a proportion of education practitioners have abandoned the sector, while others are greatly demotivated and depressed. It is, therefore, not a mini achievement to emerge among the best 14 UCE schools in the Province of the Church of Uganda that has over 630 secondary schools,” Kaziimba said.

Academic Excellence

In his latter remarks, Kaziimba called for the rejuvenation of the inspection units of the Church and the education ministry as a strategy of improving academic excellence. He also asked the Government to recommend only professional headteachers of moral integrity to church-founded schools.

“Leadership has continued to be in turmoil. Some officers at the districts and education ministry impose headteachers and deputy headteachers on us and in some cases even without our conscience. In situations where our education departments are not alert, schools have completely drowned,” Kaziimba said.

Irregular Staffing

In his remarks, the director of education at the province, the Rev. Dr Paul Kakooza, also expressed concern over the irregular staffing in schools.

“A number of teachers, especially in rural and poor schools, are not only moonlighting but their commitment is equally low and this is worse with science teachers,” Kakooza observed.

He later asked the Government to support Church initiatives in the domain of educational leadership.

The deputy headteacher of King’s College Budo, Peter Ssenyimba, spoke highly of the Church’s gesture of appreciation, saying it will inspire teachers to be more resilient, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic that has put the entire education sector in a limping posture.

Mwesiga, Sanya Lauded

During the same function, Kaziimba also gave a meritorious accolade of appreciation to two former education ministry officials, Jane Kyarisiima Mwesiga (the former commissioner, human resource management) and James Sanya (former principal human resource officer) for their distinguished service, support and goodwill for the Anglican education ministry.