President Yoweri Museveni has contributed Shs10 million towards the construction of a modern Science Block at Iganga Secondary School.
The contribution was delivered by the Minister of the Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda during the Iganga SS Old Students Homecoming and fundraising event that was held at the school premises on Saturday 29 April, 2023.
The block whose construction works will cost Shs1.1 billion will house the ICT laboratory, the library, labs for core sciences and water borne toilets.
Speaking to the old and current students of the school, Hon. Babalanda who on her part contributed Shs2 million towards the cause, said the science block project should be highly supported especially in Busoga where the number of children doing science subjects has significantly gone down over the years.
She disclosed that the Government is emphasizing science education as a gateway to the modern world.
“The future holds more for inventors, innovators and for scientific discoveries in medicine, engineering and information technology. These are the fields that will create and multiply jobs for the future generations.The problems of man have multiplied and they call for innovative solutions through science and technology. As such, science-based education is being looked at as a critical source of employment for our children through industry, business enterprises and commercial agriculture,” the Minister said.
She also urged the people of Busoga to push as many of their children in the sub region into science education and projects like these of a science block will be the drivers of this change.
On the other hand, Hon. Babalanda also said for some time now, the once great schools in Busoga were neglected and had degenerated significantly yet in the 1960s and throughout the 70s and 80s these were giants that made Busoga proud and produced individuals that went on to influence things at the national level.
She revealed that schools like Busoga College Mwiri, Kiira College Butiki, Jinja College, Namasagali College, Wanyange Girls, Buckley High School and Iganga SSS were wonderful Colleges that attracted students from all parts of Uganda.
“However, these giants are no longer heard of, yet their OBs and OGs are still alive and holding big positions.The products of these schools have not raised the banners of their schools. They have taken their children to other schools where they even fundraise to build laboratories and make all sorts of contributions but cannot look back at their own to provide any supports,” Hon. Babalanda emphasized.
“These schools made you and you cannot afford to ignore them. They gave you all they had and now it’s your turn to pay back and be proud of your identity. Your old school is your identity because it will be part of your CV for all your life and you will be known by its name. Some of you are even lucky that your schools are still in existence, there are those which completely disappeared,” she added before laying a foundation stone for the construction of the modern Science block.
She explained that Busoga’s Education giants and standards can be revived if stakeholders choose to unite and have one voice of transformation.
“This attitude of oneness is even better than waiting for politics or religious campaigns to change things.There are many reasons why we should promote our old schools in Busoga such as Iganga SS.These schools proclaimed strong religious values unto us, they maintained high discipline in us and they gave us strong people skills which enabled us to become useful citizens,” Hon. Babalanda disclosed.
“Back in the days, because of an airtight environment in these schools we could not tolerate vices such as homosexuality. The scripture unions were active and the school masters were on our case all the time. We cannot afford these foreign vices to overturn our cherished school cultures.”
The Minister further called upon all leaders from Busoga to work towards ending poverty among the people in the subregion. She said poverty is the leading cause of poor education standards and the downfall of these education giants.
“Once the traditional parents cannot afford to educate their children in these schools, the schools will not attract good teachers and the standards will automatically drop further pushing away more parents. We need to have our people engage in income generating activities that take advantage of the good soils and climatic conditions in Busoga. And also, to encourage them to participate in the government poverty alleviation efforts of PDM and Emyooga.”
The Minister of State for Cooperatives, Hon. Frederick Ngobi Gume, an old student of Iganga SS lauded the school from instilling leadership traits in him. He explained that up to date he is still thriving using those skills and this has made him a successful politician in the country.
He contributed Shs1m cash and pledged to contribute Shs1m monthly for a year.
Hon. Gume studied from the school before it was turned into a girls only institution in the 1990s.
“I studied from Iganga SS from S.1 to S.6 before joining Makerere University and I was the Head Prefect in my A’ level. I got the traits of leadership and courage from Iganga SS,”he boasted.
The Head Teacher of the School, Mrs. Nakaziba Monic Kiira said this day is an opportunity for the old students to meet, know each other, get connected after a long time of parting from one another and to associate with the Board of Governors and Parents Teachers Association(PTA), school administration, teachers and the current students.
“It has also availed opportunity to you to come home and notice the various changes through which our school has gone over the past years,” Mrs. Nakaziba said.
“Hon. Minister, it is this kind of meeting that will create a special bonding between us and old students and the school that has made us, and with the other stakeholders. I believe that when we combine the efforts of all of us, God being on our side; even the sky shall not be a limit for Iganga SS.”
The event was also attended by among others; Hon. Milton Kalulu Muwuma, the Member of Parliament for Kigulu South who contributed Shs1m, Iganga District Woman MP, Hon Sauda Kauma- Shs500, 000, government officials and Iganga District leaders.
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