The Kabaka of Buganda through his Ministry of Education provides a scholarship scheme known as the Kabaka Education Fund with which is aimed at supporting children of Buganda to attain education by providing school fees. At a ceremony that took place in Bulange Mengo, the administrative headquarters of the Buganda Kingdom, children with their parents were in attendance to be awarded scholarship letters to begin their first term at school.
The Buganda Kingdom has five major goals as pillars for Buganda to prosper, with the fourth being transforming the lives of the people of Buganda which includes fighting poverty, improving health services, as well as improving the education sector in Buganda.
380 children were awarded scholarships from the Kabaka Education Fund to study in more than 40 schools partnering with the Buganda Government in this scholarship scheme.
While awarding scholarship letters to children and their parents, the Minister of Education in the Buganda Government Hajji Prof. Twaha Kawaase Kiggongo urged the beneficiaries of these scholarships to be exemplary and disciplined at school so that Buganda earns the respect it deserves. He said “You should appreciate the fact that the Kabaka pays your school fees and feel proud to be a beneficiary. Thereafter, create an impression out there for other people to build a relationship with the Buganda Kingdom”.
He went on to advise the attendees to view themselves as being part of Buganda’s goal, saying “You are now part of the Kabaka’s enforcement team that implements the first major goal of strengthening and defending the Buganda Kingdom. In case any issue arises, you can always remember that the Kabaka paid your school fees or for parents to say the Kabaka paid school fees of my child.”
Prof Kawaase also encouraged parents to work together with the Kingdom in following up and monitoring how their children study at schools they were awarded scholarships so that there is value for money.
Leticia Nakimuli an official in the Ministry of Education in the Buganda Government expressed fears that the country might experience a generation of children who are not morally upright as a result of parents who front their disagreements in the upbringing of children. She said “There is a big number of women present here meaning that they care so much for the education of their children. But then, the challenge is that despite the effort mothers render in the education of their children, they tend to limit children from their fathers. The moment you ask some of them about the father of their children they respond by saying, ‘you can consider them to be deceased’ even though they are alive.”
Parents whose children received scholarships expressed their sincere appreciation to the Kabaka of Buganda. One parent stated “We are pleased with the Kabaka because since we come from western Uganda we thought scholarships would only be for Baganda. But we appreciate the fact that the Kabaka welcomes every Ugandan and helps anyone. I, therefore, urge people out there even the non-Baganda to come and apply for these scholarships you will be helped.”
One of the children who was awarded a scholarship and will study at Lubiri High School main campus said “I promise the Kabaka that I will study hard and score good grades."
The scholarships will be renewed every school term and parents have been asked to always bring children’s report cards at the end of every school term so that the Buganda Government can monitor and evaluate the education status of its scholarship scheme beneficiaries.