Reflections: Degeneration in Education, A Plea to My Kaburasazi Hills P.1 Teacher, Mrs. Donata Mpamira Bakame.

By Kwiringira B Ruhamya Fred

Analyst, Apostle, Patriot

Dear Madam Donata, Teacher,

Greetings. Muraho. Shalom. Fond memories.

The last time we spoke was during the Kisoro women by-election, when I was active in media campaigns. You seemed ecstatic that your former pupil in Kaburasazi Hills was making good submissions on the radio in the campaign of formidable Dr. Baryomunsi Chris, candidate, amiable Ms. Kabagyeni Rose. The campaigns captured national fever until Gen. Museveni, Dr. Mateke turned tables. Jackiline Kyatuhaire and mafias went home with bags of 1.5 billion kwacha. Monies.

What Is Uganda's Problem?

I want to focus on the quality of education in Kaburasazi, Kisoro, but also Uganda.

What went wrong with education, my beautiful, good teacher Donata? Why? Who is responsible? To my Headmaster at St. Leo's College Kyegobe, Mzee Basaliza Henry: Who is killing the quality of education? My history teacher at Makerere High School, Mr. Tanga Odoi: What happened? I see you shouting in the competition now in NRM. To Mr. Rwambura William of NCBS, Nakawa, later MUBS: What has happened to the education system?

The education system is dying. It is even worse in our homeland, Kaburasazi Hills, Kisoro.

Teacher, Donata. What is the problem? Is it part of development? Namajambere, changwa namajanyuma? Is it a fundamental change?

Who Is Responsible?

How can you have MPs, ministers, and forged academic papers? How can they claim that the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Mr. Nawangwe, has forged academic documents? When did we reach this far?

What is the problem? Is it UNEB? The Ministers? Who is killing Uganda's education system? Why? Is the President, mighty Gen. Museveni T. K. Yoweri, aware?

Some radical opposition and politicians believe the president wants the systems and institutions dead.

Why can't we have new ministers in education? Who will address the failures? Does the dysfunctional Parliament have a role? Is NCHE responsible? It must be overhauled. How can you clear idiots with certificates in chakamchaka as equivalent to Masters? Do we have leaders, technocrats, or zombies in UNEB, NCHE?

Teacher Donata, how can after 40 years since the 1980s, when you taught us primary one, be in doldrums? Kaburasazi Primary produced doctors, bishops, 3 PSs, 4 Commissioners, priests, a solicitor general, DPP, Mzee Kabatsi R. Peter, officers, men, the unsung Hero of NRA/NRM Capt. Bisagwa Innocent, who captured, hijacked a plane during bush war, delivered it to Gen. Rwigyema Giisa Fred in Rwenzori Hills, at foothills in Kasese. Built a milk factory of good Highland milk of Birunga Industries, Ikoro Hotels. 3 World Bank experts, Commissioners, investors, Teachers, Lawyers.

The story of remote Kaburasazi Hills, where you Donata taught well, with George Intwaza Karinda, Claver Kibaba Murego Kwishase, Stella, Henry, Stanley, Sebatwale now a powerful priest, Dean and leader in Mutolere, Kisoro, ties with the stories elsewhere in Kigezi that produced Prime Ministers Ruhakana Rugunda, Amama Mbabazi, Prof. Kanyeihamba, Prof. Mutebile, Gen. Kayihura Kale, Dr. Besigye, Prof. Kagonyera, Eng. Rugamba, Justice Katutsi, Tabaro, Mulenga Joseph.

Ankole schools produced Gen. Mugisha Muntu, Gen. Museveni, Chef Ali, Mzee Byanyima, Dr. Eng. Winnie K. Byanyima, Grace Ibingira, Kagame. It was true in Lango, Acholi, and Busoga in Mwiri. Dr. Milton Obote.

Who is killing the education in Uganda? Why? Do the children of ministers, MPs, and mafias study in Uganda?

There is something, even the children of the powerful, mighty, when you listen to some of them, they sound shallow, idiotic? Is it because most of them are on drugs?

Donata, who teaches discipline in schools now? What values? I am told there is a new curriculum. Teacher, have you read it although you are retired? Do you understand it? It seems many teachers are confused, like students and parents. Who does it serve? Did Cabinet pass it?

Who will rescue the education system in Uganda, Teacher? Is it the mighty President Museveni, whom they say knows everything? Is Cabinet, which half is incompetent, disinterested? Is it a dysfunctional parliament without effective leadership, many with forged papers, chasing survival and money?

What affects education in Uganda, Teacher Donata. How are the TCs, other training institutions?

In Kisoro, less than 10 schools, get first grades for the last 15 years. Why? In Busanani, the last good pupils in 1982. At Rutaka, the last good, brilliant student was Nilingiye Aggrey in 1983. He is now a Professor of Economics at Makerere University, Dr. Nilingiye Aggrey. What happened? Will Rutaka, Kaburasazi, Bukimbiri, and Busanza produce other professors and doctors?

When our Uncles, cousins, whom you know well, Teacher Donata, went into exiles before some of them joined bush, taught in Kenya, Nairobi, South Africa, Botswana, London. They had studied at Kaburasazi Primary School, Gitovu, Nshungwe, Mutolere. Donata, you are aware. Kaburasazi Hills is 520 kilometers from Kampala. It didn't matter. Whether a child was in Kaburasazi, West Nile like Bishop Orombi Henry, or Kaburasazi. Kisoro like Justice Ntabgoba, Bishop Barabara's, Dr. Ndagijimana, Mpyisi, or Bunyoro. The training and education were good.

The Bafumbira, who went to Namilyango College, the Deputy HM, used to tell the students that the cash crop for Kisoro is education. He never expected any student from Kisoro to joke with his studies. He reminded them they come from far. They never disappointed him for decades. One time, there was a poor student who was an academic dwarf, the D. HM asked the student if he were a Mufumbira. He told him he might be a Munyarwanda, Congolese, or a Murundi refugee. Education was important to Mzee Seburimagye, which he emphasized to other teachers at Namilyango like Mzee Byuma Mukama Innocent and Bafumbira students. Excellence was a must. Byuma later became a Registrar of ITEK Kyambogo, now Kyambogo University, Nkozi University, IEK Rwanda. Byuma studied at Kaburasazi Primary, Mutolere Secondary, Kisoro, Ntare School, and later at Makerere University. The emphasis is that education then could raise anybody from any corner of Uganda and compete nationally, regionally, and internationally.

What has happened? Donata, Teacher. The last batch of students from Kaburasazi who joined Ntare School, Namilyango, Nyakasura, Mary Hill, Kyebambe Girls, Kigezi High School must have been in the 1980s and before. Why? Bad systems, collapse. Bad leadership. Who is responsible?

What has happened to Kaburasazi, Gitovu, Busengo, and Mutolere might be happening in Toro, Fort Portal, Arua, Busia, Lango, Gulu, Ibanda, Busoga, Bunyoro.

Teacher Donata, you are a teacher, veteran, intelligent, bright. We need to talk. You might have an idea. One of our sons is now a Lecturer. What does he tell you? Perhaps your doctor in Germany should give us ideas, bring us volunteers to teach our young people.

If possible, the government should hire experts from Israel, Germany, and China to help us. What has gone wrong, or am I a mistake? Are things okay? When in some schools, including my former schools, few children are trained properly for the last 30 years.

When the classrooms and toilets, offices were in a sorry state. I made alarm, challenged OBs who are OBs, and friends. They collected 70 million to repair the school; it is now better. Donata, Teacher, find time to thank the OBs who rebuilt our school: Mzee Kabatsi, Mzee Bucyanayandi Tracy, Anne Namara Kabagambe, Freda K. Ware, Herbert Murego Dusabe, Ndiku Richard, Padri Sebatwale Joseph, Col. Kayita Deo, Padri Safari Emmanuel, and other OBs. Can we arrange and address the quality of education as well? Will they listen? Understand. Some of their children are in Europe, America, and South Africa. Will they help our people? Teacher Donata, can't you talk to them?

Teacher, when you speak to the education officers in Kisoro, the CAO, the veteran minister, lecturer, educationists like Dr. Mateke. What is their view? Who has killed the quality of education? Who will revive it?

I, at times, do these MPs, ministers, leaders, and rulers who benefited from quality education that the British established mind about the decline in education standards?

Teacher, Donata. When I come to Kisoro, I want to sit and brainstorm. We don't have the answers. I feel you have the answers. You taught me the first letters in 1982 at Kaburasazi Primary School. Karinda taught us, "Later, Ntwari Ephraim in Gitovu, it gave me a good foundation." When I joined St. Leo's College Kyegobe, Fort Portal, Makerere High School, MUBS, my confidence and skills were unshakable. Teacher Donata, we celebrate you, the teachers at Kaburasazi Hills, Kisoro. Teachers are unsung Heroes and Heroines.

Philosophers, Scholars, Presidents have all underscored the importance of education to the development of nations, empires, societies. If you want to assess the development of a nation, assess the education of that nation.

One of the cash crops of Uganda was education. It must be revised, revived, reborn, and regulated. We are the vanguards.

It will take leadership and sacrifices. The gains of the Revolution must never be lost.

Teacher Donata, we thank God there is a revolution in Kisoro. The old MP lost in Primaries. Hope when they come as Independent, they will be humiliated. We pray the new MPs who are replacing Mr. Nsaba Buturo James, Mr. Nizeyimana Kamara John, Mr. Kwizera Eddie Gahungu will care about the quality of education. To our new leaders, Gatare, Asigariyo, Kanya, mind about Education. It used to be our cash crop.

Teacher, Donata, we thank you for your contribution to Education in Uganda, Kisoro, and Kaburasazi Hills. God is rewarded with brilliant and good products. Mungu asifiwe.

Fellow countrymen, fellow Ugandans, vote good leaders who can revive Education, one of cash cows for Uganda.

I am optimistic. We have an appointment with the future.

Education is key for the development of a nation. There should be an overhaul in the education sector and implementation of Mushega Commission recommendations. The report should be made public.

Uganda is a great nation, let down by poor, corrupt leaders.

What is Uganda's problem?

My P.1 teacher, dearest, cousin Donata Mpamira Bakame, I need answers. Do homework, pray, and hold your rosary. When we meet in September, answer my questions, anxiety, and agony.

Who is responsible for declining education in Uganda?

Be the change.

For God and My Country.