The call was made by Kayunga Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) John Magezi during the commissioning of patriotism trainees at Busaana Church of Uganda Primary School in Busaana Sub-county, Kayunga District.
The pupils had completed a five-day intensive patriotism training programme aimed at nurturing values of discipline, leadership, national service and civic responsibility.
Magezi said character formation begins at home and challenged parents to take a more active role in shaping their children’s behaviour and future.
“Parents must instill discipline, patriotism, and good morals in their children. These values are essential in raising responsible citizens who will serve their communities and the nation with dedication,” Magezi said.
He also encouraged schools to prioritise co-curricular activities, noting that sports, music, drama and other extracurricular programmes help learners identify and develop their talents beyond classroom learning.
According to Magezi, such activities broaden children’s skills and improve their future opportunities.
He further reminded parents that providing basic needs, particularly food, remains central to effective learning.
“A hungry child cannot learn properly. Parents must ensure that learners have adequate food and other essential requirements to enable them concentrate on their studies,” he said.
However, Busaana Church of Uganda Primary School Headteacher Zowena Kaguna raised concerns over challenges affecting the school’s performance despite increasing enrolment.
Kaguna said the school has about 1,500 pupils but only 21 teachers, seven of whom are privately sponsored by the school, creating a significant staffing gap.
“We are overwhelmed by the high number of pupils compared to the available teaching staff. This affects the quality of learning and increases the burden on teachers,” she said.
She also cited lack of adequate teacher accommodation as another major challenge affecting service delivery.
The headteacher noted that the school continues to face social challenges including school dropout, early and forced marriages, child labour and harmful cultural practices that affect learners, particularly girls.
“Many children, especially girls, drop out of school due to early and forced marriages. Child labour and other social challenges continue to disrupt learning and deny children the opportunity to achieve their dreams,” Kaguna said.
She appealed to government and stakeholders to strengthen child protection measures and address staffing gaps and infrastructure challenges in rural schools.
The patriotism training programme is part of government efforts to promote discipline, national unity and civic responsibility among learners across the country.