President Yoweri Museveni yesterday Sunday 18th August, 2019 commissioned Iganga Boys’ Boarding Primary School’s Centennial Block as the institution celebrated its centenary anniversary. He also made a contribution of Shs.200 million to further boost the efforts of the school’s alumnae towards the construction of the administration block complex and a computer laboratory and launched the School magazine by buying a copy at Shs.1,000,000 million.
The Church Missionary Society (CMS) founded school started in 1919 in Busoga Sub-Region and has since transformed from grass-thatched structures of the time to the current iron roofed and storeyed buildings; an initiative of the Old Boys’ Association.
As part of the celebrations, the President inspected a variety of exhibitions by pupils mainly surface and underground water pumping mechanism system, the use of charcoal briquettes as a better form of energy generation with the aim of saving the environment, liquid soap making and hair shampoo making.
Addressing the congregation at the celebrations that ran under the theme ‘At 100 years, We Perform Best’, President Museveni remarked that Africans must emphasize science education. He observed that institutions that were started by religious bodies have played a vital role in shaping the Ugandan society adding that their new managers should maintain those institutions very well.
Mr. Museveni saluted some of the alumnae of the school like Yoweri Kyesimira, Sam Tewungwa, former Makerere University Vice-Chancellor, Asavia Wandira, among others, whose service to the country is commendable. He urged the school stakeholders to push further for the historical academic excellence and transformation of the school with emphasis on science subjects.
The President said although missionary schools brought education, it did not mean that Africans lacked their own traditional education. “Modern missionary education became more relevant because of the conviction that there was hope in resurrection following the resurrection of Jesus,” he noted.
Mr. Museveni said that the NRM Government has played an important role in the improvement of the education curriculum. He also noted that NRM Government has to-date increased the number of constructed classrooms to over 100,000 up from 28,000 before the Movement came to power. He added that the Government has laid more emphasis on laboratories and libraries noting that the only missing element for the teaching staff is institutional housing to ensure effective teaching services. He, however, gave assurances, that with the country’s oil resource, teachers’ housing will be easy for government to implement.
Parliamentary Speaker, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga commended Iganga Boys’ Boarding Primary School administration for propelling the school to greater academic heights.
Iganga District LC5 Chairperson, Mr. Kayemba Gavamukulya revealed that the area is peaceful. He added that more development support has been extended to sectors of education, roads and health, among others. He, however, requested government to upgrade Iganga Hospital to regional referral status.
The Headmaster, Dr. Fred Kasiisa, who has been at the helm of the institution since 1993, urged its current and future pupils to be steadfast and be committed to academic excellence.
“The school has managed to attain all its achievements because of teamwork spirit among the staff and mutual relationship with wananchi and communities around,” he observed.
The Chairperson of Centennial Organising Committee, Mr. Muhammed Mpanso, while commending the founder of the school, attributed the progress of the institution to teamwork and good governance.
