(This article was first published in the New Vision on April 13, 2022)
By Andrew Masinde
Just 200 metres from the banks of River Manafwa is Bumwalye Primary School located in Manyali village, Bulucheke sub-county in Bududa district.
The compound is dotted with placards warning pupils about the dangers of COVID-19 and why they should observe the standard operating procedures.
It is lunchtime and pupils have lined up for food. A tall dark-skinned man donning a dark blue suit is serving food with two other staff. He is introduced to me as Dominic Bwayo, the headteacher.
“One of our cooks did not come today and I stepped in. Sometimes I help with preparing the food; I have to show others that we are all equal,” Bwayo says.
Geoffrey Mukhangu, a Primary Seven pupil, says the headteacher has on many occasions served them food and sometimes helps mingle posho.
“He is even our teacher in Primary Seven and he is a very good teacher,” he says.
Teaching Career
Bwayo started out in 1992 as a Grade III teacher at Nyondo Demonstration School and requested a transfer to Bududa, his home district.
In 1999, he was transferred to Buwali Primary School in Bududa as a caretaker deputy headteacher. He found when teachers were reporting whenever they chose, pupils were regularly absent, and the school had only two dilapidated mud-and-wattle structures.
“I almost requested to be transferred back to Nyondo,” he says.
Bwayo chose to stay put. His fi rst intervention was meeting with teachers, where he outlined what was required of them and with parents.
“My requests were initially rubbished, but I stood my ground. Gradually, things began to change. Absenteeism stopped and parents started getting involved in the pupils’ academics,” he says.
Alfred, a parent who preferred to use one name, recalls that Bwayo’s predecessor was never in school, teachers would not teach in the afternoons and learners spent more time in their parents’ gardens than at school.
“Bwayo came up with a policy that during class hours, all teachers and pupils had to be at school. Every two months, parents would check on their children’s performance. We also started contributing food for our children,” Alfred says.
The headteacher also mobilised parents and the district for support, which resulted in the construction of a five-classroom block and latrines.
During his tenure, the school got its first grades.
In 2000, Bwayo was promoted to a headteacher and transferred to Buwakiyu Primary School. The school was also in a sorry state with teacher and pupil absenteeism the order of the day.
“I introduced compulsory lunch and reporting time changed from any time to 7:30am for both teachers and pupils. I would report at 6:30am,” Bwayo says.
He also got past papers from other schools so learners could do assessment tests weekly and for the first time, three pupils passed in First Division.
To improve the school infrastructure, in 2001, he mobilised his friends who raised sh5m that was used to construct a three-classroom block and an office. He also lobbied the district and another three-classroom block was constructed.
In 2006, he was transferred back to Buwali as a headteacher.
In 2010, he was transferred to Bukalasi Primary School, where incomplete blocks were completed and constructed other blocks within one term at a cost of sh6m.
“The school was not fenced. Some community members would even come to the windows to disturb girls in the classroom. The school property was also regularly vandalised,” he says.
Bwayo asked parents to contribute towards fencing the school, but they refused.
Mobilising Resources
In 2011, he requested a friend in the US for help, who raised sh4.8m that was used to fence the school. The friend also constructed a Catholic church in the school, which the community uses.
Bwayo also introduced a feeding programme to curb afternoon teacher and pupil absenteeism.
In 2013, he was transferred to Bukigai Primary School, where he also mobilised parents to contribute funds for the construction of classrooms and latrines. He also introduced a school feeding programme and remedial classes.
In 2016, he was transferred to Bumwalye Primary School.
Being a mountainous place, those who went home for lunch never returned for afternoon classes. Bwayo mobilised parents to contribute towards school lunch.
Robai Bwira Namapii, a teacher, says: “Both teachers and pupils have their lunch at school, which could be one of the reasons why our performance has improved and teacher and pupil absenteeism stopped,” she says.
Namapii adds that Bwayo introduced remedial classes that have improved pupils’ performances.
He reviewed school reporting time for both teachers and pupils to 7:30am.
Bwayo introduced weekly assessments, which have seen the pupils improve their performance. In 2020, 15 candidates passed in Division One and the remaining 44 passed in Division Two.
The school lacked a fence and a gate, which were put up at a cost of sh30m contributed by Bwayo’s friends, Bududa MPs and old students.
He also introduced a school library and sourced books from friends and the education ministry.
Bwayo also set up a rainwater harvesting tank and a metered system ensuring a steady supply of water.
He set up a school garden where bananas and vegetables are grown. The school consumes some of the produce and the rest is sold to the community.
In 2017, Bwayo mobilised old students and friends from the US who raised sh6m that was used to renovate the school structures.
The school was not connected to the national power grid. In 2020, Bwayo paid close sh1.2m for the school to be connected, which enables the pupils to read at night as well. He purchased a music system which cost sh800,000 that is used at the school assembly.
COVID-19 Interventions
During COVID-19, Bwayo and the teachers would type notes that they would send to learners in Primary Six and Primary Seven. This paid off as none of the Primary Seven candidates who sat their Primary Leaving Examinations in 2020 failed.
During the lockdown, the school continued generating revenue from the sale of vegetables and bananas that ensured availability of resources for the school feeding programme. “We also procured enough sanitisers so each class has sanitiser and hand-washing points are everywhere in the school,” Bwayo says.
Co-Curricular Activities
Bwayo has promoted music, dance and drama in all schools he has headed.
His current school lacks a playground, but he ensures that learners are taken to the sub-county grounds for sports.
“We are now at the zonal level in athletics and hope to go further,” he says.
Challenges
Bwayo’s main challenge is the meagre school facilitation grant. He, however, says he has mastered the art of mobilising resources from friends and parents.
The school does not have school quarters, so teachers have to walk long distances to come teach. He plans to have staff houses constructed at the school.
Fact File
1967: Bwayo was born Attended: Shikhuyu Primary School
1986: Joined Bulukyeke Secondary School for O’level
1990: Joined Nyondo Primary Teachers’ College where he qualified as a Grade III teacher
1996: Joined National Teachers’ College Ngetta in Lira for a diploma majoring in mathematics and science and graduated in 1998
2002: Bwayo joined Kyambogo University for a bachelor’s degree in education
What Others Say
Polycarp Nangwatu, Parent-Teacher Association Chair: Bwayo is very hardworking, a team player, loves his job and above all involves the parents.
Zaid Wesimikha, Smc Chair Bwayo is transparent. When Universal Primary Education money is sent, he calls for a meeting and we plan together for it. Consequently, we have seen so many developments in the school. Bwayo is a good resource mobiliser.
Justine Khainza, Bududa Woman Mp Bwayo is a dedicated headteacher and a team player. This has enabled him to improve the school’s academic performance.
Abbas Namukhono, Former Senior Education Assistant Bududa I have served with Bwayo in many schools and he is very hardworking. He is a good time manager, result-oriented and also, in every school he goes to, it has to perform. Bwayo has put Bududa on the map, he has turned the worst schools into performing schools
Golden Tips
- Time management is key
- Delegate to staff, it makes it easy for things to happen on time
Be Transparent
- Be transparent with all the school resources if not, parents, teachers and management will lose trust in you
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