By John Masaba
Over 90 government and private schools in Hoima East and Hoima West divisions have received free textbooks to boost education standards in Hoima City.
The beneficiary schools include Mparo Primary School, Good Shepherd, St Gertrude, Golden Nursery and Primary School, Glory Infant, Kabalega Nursery and Primary School, Bwinkya Muslims Primary School, Hoima Mixed Primary School, St Andrea Haahwa’s College, Kitara Secondary School, and Bwinkya Muslim Secondary school among others.
The items included Runyoro, English, and mathematics books that were procured by the Ministry of Education after the Hoima East Division MP Dr. Patrick Isingoma Mwesigwa, wrote to the ministry to provide schools with textbooks to improve the standard of education.
While handing over the books to the school administrations at Mparo Primary School in Bwinkya Ward, Hoima East Division on Tuesday, Mwesigwa called on parents to get interested in supporting education to ensure the improvement of performance in schools.
He noted that performance in different schools especially government-aided schools in the area is still lacking and called on different stakeholders to join hands to address the challenges.
Mwesigwa said that realizing better performances in schools is not the responsibility of one person, but it needs collective effort from different stakeholders.
He asked the beneficiary school teachers to give these books to the learners instead of keeping them on shelves, to ensure that the books serve their intended purposes.
Azizi Karyegira, the councilor for the Bwinkya ward, commended the MP for lobbying the ministry, adding that several schools have been facing a challenge with inadequate textbooks.
He says that the books are going to bridge the gap to ensure the improvement of education in the area.
Salome Bonabaana, the Mparo Primary School head teacher, expressed excitement about the books, saying her school has been having few textbooks that could not serve the number of pupils there.
He added that the school has lacked Runyoro language books, adding that the provision of these books will help the learners understand the language better.
Florence Asaba from Golden Star Primary School, a private entity, said the books will create a positive impact towards the improvement of education standards in the city and commended MP Mwesigwa for not limiting the donation of the books to government schools.
She noted that most of the private schools are struggling financially and some operate without such essential books.
