A School in Uganda Busoga College Mwiri (1911-2011)
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A School in Uganda Busoga College Mwiri (1911-2011) Peter Woodsford U3AC African Forum, 28th Oct 2011 Outline • Background – My involvement – Uganda • The early days – Balangira High School • Mwiri – The ‘Golden Age’ – Time of Change – Recent times – School Life and Activities • The Centennial Celebrations, September 2011 • Reflections My Involvement • I went to Busoga College Mwiri in Uganda as a VSO in 1963 immediately after graduating • I taught Maths and Physics and stayed until 1967 • My wife also taught there and we met there • Quite a few students subsequently studied in UK and we kept in touch. Some have become lifelong friends • We have been back regularly since 1990 and were there in September 2011 for the Centennial. Location – Uganda and Busoga Background - Uganda • Became a British protectorate in 1894, largely as a result of lobbying by missionary and anti-slavery interests – Not a colony (unlike Kenya) – No alienation of land • Mission Schools set up soon afterwards – Church Missionary Society (Anglican) • 1895 Mengo High School • 1905 Gayaza High School (girls) • 1906 Kings College Budo, for the education of chiefs – Catholic • 1902 Namilyango College • 1906 St. Mary’s Kisubi Background - Busoga • The Basoga were a loose confederation of small principalities living on Lake Victoria to the east of the Nile • Often dominated by the more powerful Baganda west of the Nile (Buganda Kingdom, took lead role under 1900 Agreement with British) • The Basoga have there own language (Lusoga) • Today the Basoga make up about 8% of the population of Uganda (34,612,250 (July 2011 est.)) Balangira High School • Several of the Basoga princes went to Kings College Budo and then determined to have their own school in Busoga • Outstanding among them was Yosiya Nadiope, who gave the land for the school to be founded at Kamuli • So with the CMS, Balangira High School was set up at Kamuli in January 1911 The 1911 Annual Report Yosiya Nadiope • ‘The First Christian in Busoga’ • Died in 1913 • A house at Busoga College Mwiri is named after him • His descendants have at times been Kyabazinga of Busoga (‘King’) By 1926, Busoga High School Harry Brewer • Headmaster for 10 years from 1920 • The Kamuli site was very unhealthy (swampy) • Brewer laboured hard to promote a move to a more healthy site on Mwiri Hill overlooking Lake Victoria • He died of Blackwater Fever before this could be realised. Brewer’s Grandson at Kamuli, 26 Sep 2011 From Mwiri Hill towards Jinja and Lake Victoria in 1930 The move to Mwiri Hill, 1930 • Working from Brewer’s plans, a force of 400 men started clearing Mwiri hill, led by Charles Girling • The government paid half and the Basoga chiefs took a 10% pay cut to raise the rest Early Days - Sports and Science 1935 – Mwiri’s first female teacher R C H Walker (Headmaster 1939-43) Aloni Magezi • Served as Senior Master from 1920 to 1941 • Walker wrote – ‘Europeans came and Europeans went but Magezi went on his quiet unobtrusive and most efficient way, seated in the school office. He dealt with all money matters. We all came to him for advice (“Magezi” means “wisdom”). He was all for improvements and innovations that would advance the school and through the school, the whole Basoga tribe.’ • Two of his sons were Head Prefects in my time Rev. F G ‘Jack’ Coates (HM 1943-65) • Arrived at Mwiri with CMS in 1934 • Longest serving HM • Made a Basoga chief in 1965 • Coates House added to the school in 1980’s • Platinum Order of the Impala (Leopard) in 2011. 1947 – A. Milton Obote (later President) (front, 3rd from right) 29th April 1952 – Mwiri Boys at opening of Owen Falls Dam 1957 – aerial view before Hannington and Nabikamba houses built 1959 – Opening of Hannington House • James Hannington, the first Anglican bishop of Equatorial East Africa, was murdered in Busoga in 1885 on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II of Buganda • His granddaughter opened Hannington house at Mwiri in 1959 The school lorry stuck on the road up to the school – FG Coates supervising 1962 - Centenary of Speke’s ‘Discovery’ of the Source of the Nile 9th October 1962 - Independence • Mwiri Old Boy A. Milton Obote is prime minister • The Mwiri school motto becomes the national motto – ‘For God and our Country’ 9th Oct 1963, First Anniversary of Independence 1964 – HSC (A level) courses start June 1965 – the Changing of the Guard • Left, Rev F G Coates • Centre, President A. Milton Obote • Right, D. N. Okunga, incoming Headmaster The Coates family leave the Hill Wako House 1965 Y Y Okot, HM 1969-71, murdered in the Amin years 1971- 85 - A Time of Tribulation • In the Idi Amin years, Mwiri was particularly targeted, not least because Obote was an Old Boy • Headmaster Y Y Okot bravely refused to leave and was brutally tortured before being publicly executed • Soldiers trashed the school on several occasions • Many old students were killed and many more went into exile 1986 – Recovery Starts • The advent of the NRM government under Yoweri Museveni started the long process of national recovery • At Mwiri, recovery was led by George Kayondo before his sudden death in 1992 • It carried on under George Semivule 1990 – our first return to the School 1991 – Friends of Mwiri UK celebrate the 80th Anniversary George Kayondo Memorial Computer Centre • Very strong ICT teaching – Head of Dept has written textbook Support from UK • Strong link with Manchester Grammar School over last 20 years • 100 PC’s, networking, etc from Manchester Grammar School for Computer Centre • Staff exchange with MGS and MGS students at Mwiri to support Computer Centre • Other support, eg textbooks, from MGS and Friends of Mwiri UK (former teachers and students in UK have met regularly since the 1970’s) Expansion, Crowding, Competition • In the early 1960’s there were ~300 pupils and ~14 staff – 8 houses, single bunks • 1964 - expansion with the introduction of HSC classes-> 420 pupils – Independence led to the temporary loss of ALL African staff • A factor in the Mwiri strike in 1964 • Around year 2000, pupils had increased to 1300, which was untenable (Water, dormitory space, etc) • Increased competition from private schools – Mwiri is fee-paying, but in the governmental sector Size of School Today • 998 students, 9 houses – Triple bunks! • 56 teachers (15 female, 43 male) – 43 live in the Hill • 71 non teaching staff • Fees per term 487,000 Ush (£108) – GDP per capita (2009) = $490 (£305) • Government is promising funds for building rehabilitation, but conditional on increasing numbers again to 1300 (no extra funds!) – Universal Secondary Education now in full swing SCHOOL LIFE AND ACTIVITIES ‘Wampa’ – Roll Call 1959 – Easter Service 1995 – Rededication of the Chapel endowed by the Coates family Science in the 1960’s And Now Art at Mwiri in the 1960’s… ….and Now The School Lorry in the 1960’s… …is now the School Bus Mwiri Scouts in 1935….. ….and in 1965 And Now 1960 – Ado, Mwiri’s Olympic Star Mwiri Athletics But Cricket is the favourite Mwiri sport • 1963 school team • ‘Mwiri marked their debut in national league cricket with a 20-run victory over Jinja SSS as the 2011 season rolled off…’ THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS SEPTEMBER 2011 A Fund-raising ‘Kumolo’ A Service at Bugembe Cathedral 24th September 2011 - Centennial • The UK party included the daughter of Coates, the son of Walker and the grandson of Brewer as well as Sue and myself and Mary, who was a VSO with Sue in 1964 • For several it was their first return to Uganda The School Choir sang through rain It wasn’t all speeches! Naomi Lukungu, school nurse for 50 years George Kayondo’s widow Ruth Many more awards to Old Boys • Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, lately representative of Eastern and Southern Africa on the UN Security Council and Chair of the Centennial Committee. Like everything else, the Africa map on the Library Terrace was freshly painted And the Lake looked as beautiful as ever. SOME CONCLUDING THOUGHTS Mwiri and its contribution • Schools like Mwiri (Christian foundations, boarding school ethos) played a major role in Uganda in the 20th Century • Mwiri rapidly moved from being a school for the Basoga chiefs to admitting commoners to being a school for the whole nation • The school has produced many notable Ugandans – Political leaders, religious leaders, educationists, lawyers, engineers, journalists,….. • And maintained a holistic and values-based approach to education Mwiri and the Future • Challenges – Maintaining a national role is increasingly difficult • Country increasingly Kampala dominated • Bursaries for poor students no longer available – Sustaining the buildings and infrastructure • The beautiful site is also a liability – Competition, especially from the private sector • Strengths – Strong staff and Board of Governors – Strong support from Old Boys (MOBA) and networks – Traditional strengths and reputation tempered by a determination to adapt to future challenges www.mwiri.sc.ug Thank you for your attention Peter Woodsford [email protected] .