Last Saturday I boarded an early bus to Kampala to attend the 40th anniversary celebrations of my former school, Kitante Primary School. Although I got there when most of the festivities had ended, I was still happy to be back to my school after more than 15 years. There was an enormous feeling of nostalgia as I walked around the school and stared through the windows to look at the exact spots where I used to sit while still a small boy. It was also very amazing to find that some of the teachers who had taught me back in the day were still at the school and could even recognise me and even called me out by name! Several old students from different corners of the country and indeed the world had made an effort to attend the events. Those who were unable had requested their colleagues to take as many photographs as possible and post them on the internet especially on the now famous social networking site called Facebook. At the school, current pupils sold lots of school memorabilia like anniversary calendars, T-shirts, a school magazine and car stickers among others. Many in attendance bought the shirts and even wore them immediately to show the love they had for the school. The students also exhibited and performed for the guestsThere were several important guests many of whom had attended the school back in the late 60’s and 70’s. The old students pledged to help the school to construct a multi purpose building that would house among others, a modern computer laboratory. Some items were auctioned in order to raise money for the ambitious project. The headmaster outlined the school’s history and achievements plus the challenges it is facing right now. All in all it was a significant and worthwhile effort to support a school that had raised so many prominent people in the region. The current Director General of Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Richard Masozera is one of the prominent alumni of this school. However, the most important aspect I noted was the fact that, forty years later, people still had a lot of love and attachment to their primary school. The common practice is for people to want to associate with their former secondary schools or even the universities they went to, forgetting the primary schools. Going a step further to even initiate and pledge support to projects aimed at improving the school is quite commendable. If you look at most of the great schools in the developed countries, you will find that the old students play a very important role in helping them to stay afloat and even move ahead. It is not rare to find that old students have mobilised and constructed a new laboratory or library facility at their old school. In our countries this is a practice that is still gathering pace. I must point out here that our president has often led by example, for on several occasions, he has come out to support the different schools he attended in Uganda such as Ntare High School, in Mbarara. In the corporate world, the catchy phrase is ‘corporate social responsibility’, where a company gives back to the community that has supported it over time. In the same light, it is good for people to develop the culture of giving back to the schools that contributed so much to who they are right now. If you can buy your mother a new dress for Christmas then why not donate a few books or computers to your old school, why not contribute to an alumni scholarship fund? However this process is largely a result of the school’s efforts than the benevolence of its alumni. A school should not only help students to pass exams but also to nurture an enduring love and attachment to their school. How this can be achieved is something I intend to talk about next week. ssenyonga@gmail.com
