Nabakooba Backs St Charles Lwanga’s 50-Year Self-Reliance Plan After 40 Years
Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba has backed St Charles Lwanga Senior Secondary School’s ambition to achieve greater self-reliance as the Mubende-based institution celebrated 40 years of educating and equipping young people with practical skills.Nabakooba represented the acting Minister of Education and Sports, John Chrysostom Muyingo, during the school’s ruby jubilee celebrations.
She commended the institution for maintaining its founding ideals and urged its leaders, former students and other stakeholders to remain committed to its long-term development.St Charles Lwanga was established in 1986 through the initiative of Rev Fr Richard Ritz, then parish priest of Mubende Parish.The school began on the premises of the parish headquarters and later expanded into a fully established Catholic-founded secondary school.
Nabakooba said the institution was founded on the belief that education could strengthen Christianity while producing disciplined, responsible and well-rounded citizens.She praised successive leaders for preserving that vision while expanding the school’s academic and co-curricular programmes.The minister also recognised the contribution of the Kiyinda-Mityana Diocese, parents, teachers, former students and the family that provided land for the school.She noted that the institution has produced many former students who are now contributing to Uganda’s development in different fields.Nabakooba urged the alumni to continue supporting the school as it prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary and later milestones.“As we celebrate today, we are on a journey towards celebrating 50 years and 100 years. Let’s keep on track and realise our set dreams,” she said.The celebrations also brought attention to the school’s plan to become more financially self-sustaining by its 50th anniversary.Bishop Joseph Anthony Zziwa said the institution must strengthen its academic, religious and vocational programmes while investing in projects that can generate income.
He said the goal was to ensure that the school develops sustainable sources of revenue to support its operations.Among the initiatives being promoted is a dairy farming project designed to give students practical agricultural and financial skills.St Charles Lwanga is one of the Catholic-founded schools benefiting from the programme, with students taking part in farming activities.Bishop Zziwa said the project had already demonstrated its potential, with students producing food and learning how agricultural products can be turned into income.He said 20 schools had received cows under the programme, with some already selling milk produced from their projects.The school is also constructing a three-storey building that will contain administration offices, a dining hall and a main hall.The facilities are expected to provide another source of income when they are hired out for meetings and other functions during school holidays.
Bishop Zziwa called on former students, Catholic leaders and other stakeholders to support the school by using the facilities whenever they hold meetings and events.The school’s head teacher, Grace Lwanga, who has served for 30 years, thanked the Kiyinda-Mityana Diocese for trusting her with the institution’s leadership.She said her focus had been on nurturing learners academically, spiritually and through talents such as sports, music, debates, public speaking, poetry and storytelling.The 40th anniversary celebrations marked a major milestone for St Charles Lwanga while setting the institution on a new path towards self-reliance and its planned 50-year celebrations.
