Mbale City, Uganda — Primary school pupils in Bugisu sub-region have expressed a desire to meet President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and personally thank him for introducing the Universal Primary Education (UPE) program.
The learners made their request during a cultural outreach conducted by Steven Masiga, the spokesperson of the Bamasaaba cultural institution, who visited several schools — including Jalilu Primary School and Wanyera Primary School — as part of a cultural mentoring initiative.
The pupils are urging Umukuka III of the Bamasaaba people, His Highness Jude Mike Mudoma, and his cabinet to invite President Museveni to the upcoming Bamasaaba Education Conference, which is expected to host nearly one million learners, along with their parents and teachers, from both primary and secondary schools across Masaabaland.
The headteachers of the two schools, Mr. Karim Murami of Jalilu Primary School and Madam Milly Namataka of Wanyera Primary School, welcomed the initiative by the cultural institution to organize such a significant education-focused event.
According to Masiga, the conference will give learners an opportunity to showcase their academic achievements before the Umukuka and government officials. It will also feature guidance from notable Bamasaaba figures both in Uganda and the diaspora, who will mentor the youth on issues related to education, culture, and personal development.
The cultural institution aims to use the conference as a platform to strengthen the link between education and cultural values in the region, and to honor government efforts like UPE that have improved access to education for many learners.
