Namutumba Primary School in Namutumba District has marked its centenary with calls for stronger digital integration, improved staffing levels, and sustained investment to preserve its legacy as one of the oldest educational institutions in the Busoga sub-region.
Namutumba Primary School, located in Namutumba District within the Busoga sub-region, has celebrated 100 years of existence in a ceremony that brought together religious leaders, politicians, alumni, and members of the wider community to reflect on a century of education service since its founding in 1926.
The school traces its roots to Christian missionary activity in the late 19th century. Missionaries first established a church in Buwongo in 1892 before relocating it to Nakalokwe in 1898 and later to Namutumba in 1912 at the request of the local leadership of the time.
It was after this final relocation that Namutumba Primary School was established in 1926, becoming the first formal school in what is today Namutumba District.
The centenary celebrations were opened with a thanksgiving mass presided over by the Bishop of Busoga Central Diocese, Rt Rev Patrick Wakula of Busoga Central Diocese.
In his sermon, Bishop Wakula praised the school for maintaining its heritage as one of the enduring church-founded institutions in Busoga still associated with academic discipline and excellence.
He highlighted the school’s Lusoga motto, Wekolele Elyato, meaning “Make your own ark,” as a continuing call for self-reliance and hard work.
He urged the institution to look beyond its historical achievements and invest in long-term continuity and leadership development.
“A fleet of generations are serving this country and the world — that is an exposition of the grace in operation. We must maintain the standard and remain consistent,” he said, calling for deliberate mentorship of future school leadership before current administrators exit service.
Alumni who attended the celebrations reflected on the school’s early hardships and its role in shaping education in the region.
Elizefano Nabongo recalled the extremely limited learning conditions in the early years, noting that access to education was rare and that learners often carried simple food such as cassava wrapped in banana fibre.
He described how pupils would hide their meals in nearby bushes due to the absence of proper facilities, adding that such experiences underscored the resilience of early learners in pursuit of education.
Canon Rose Byogero, who served as headteacher from 2001 to 2010, described the school’s condition at the time she took over, saying standards had significantly declined.
She said cooperation between parents and school leadership helped restore academic performance, leading to sustained improvement in results during and after her tenure.
The current headteacher, Aggrey Mugeni, used the occasion to highlight ongoing challenges, particularly understaffing. He said the school serves more than 2,000 pupils but lacks sufficient teachers to meet demand.
He also pointed to inadequate staff housing, noting that many teachers travel long distances daily, a situation he said affects welfare and efficiency.
The area Member of Parliament, Joel Azalwa, commended the school for its contribution to education and local development.
He urged the institution to embrace digital learning, saying information and communication technology is now central to modern education.
He pledged to lobby for more support and committed to donating five computers, effectively doubling the school’s current ICT equipment stock, while promising continued efforts to enhance connectivity and digital access.
As Namutumba Primary School enters its second century, stakeholders say the challenge ahead lies in balancing a rich historical legacy with urgent needs for modern infrastructure, staffing support, and digital transformation to meet the demands of future learners.