Greetings from St. Peter’s secondary school Bombo-Kalule. It is my humbled pleasure on behalf of the school community to extend our sincere gratitude to you and all people of the sustaining teams, for having moved with us a quite successful journey through the 2022 academic year that we officially closed on 9th December 2022 when our last senior six students did their last exam.
It was quite a challenging year in different spheres, ranging from global economic anomalies, sicknesses especially on our end, which even saw the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in Uganda, which forced an earlier closure of the term by two weeks for non-candidate classes.
On a sad note, we lost one of our students Alvin Ssebalu S.3, who had been promoted to S.4. He was a day scholar and died one week after end of term. The farther says he suffered from malaria for a week before. It was shocking to our school fraternity and we pray that he rests in eternal peace.
We thank God that the Ebola situation is steadily getting back to normal with almost no new infections outside the two districts of first infection and it is hoped that ebola may be ending sooner than expected. However, there were some cases of omicron covid virus in the country, but we pray this does not escalate and it looks it is under control too.
In the whole, despite a few bearable challenges, I am glad to report that the term and the entire academic year ended successfully and students plus some teachers already home for holidays until 5th February 2023.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE TERM
· All our 337 S.4 candidates did their final exams and one out of 117 of S.6 did not turn up for studies in third term, hence missing final exams. We are prayerful that the results come out pleasing, despite the a bit limited time we had to bridge the syllabus of two years in almost one year. The term was therefore very fixed academically. Also, the cost of science laboratory equipment and chemicals was higher than budgeted, due to the current inflation in the country.
· Students of other classes also had normal classes and teaching was satisfactory. They closed with their report forms and there was a notable improvement in the general performance.
· We ably paid salaries up to November 2022. We are very grateful for the contributions from L.AP towards some sponsored staff. This kept the spirit quite high, though the question is now how to handle Christmas for teachers and staff still at school.
· The prices of food throughout the year were beyond abnormal with over 60% increase of some food staffs. We however thank God who enabled us feed the students ably despite affecting other needs in school that were left pending. Our much thanks to the Lichtenberg/Berlin church team for all the continued support.
· The health of our students which started in a challenging way was later ably managed by the end of the term. In the due course, one of our nurses left for further studies but she was replaced with another.
· We built a power house which helped us to develop independent electric lines within school. The transformer was changed to 50kva in exchange with the old one, though we still have to make a top-up of 22,367,500 still in arrears.
· Teaching of vocational skills was fairly handled this term in areas like knitting, welding, baking and construction, with some parents making contributions towards requirements. However, a lot still needs to be done in constructing permanent workshops.
· Our local development partners started the construction of the boys’ dormitory and work is still in its infancy.
· Furnishing of the computer room was done, old ones repaired and additions made. This enabled candidates to do exams with more ease.
CHALLENGES
· The major challenge of the term was the very high prices of almost every item used in school. A lot of what was planned was not fulfilled or was reduced and yet others not dealt with at all.
· We still need to have permanent workshops and facilities to teach vocational skills according to the needs of the new curriculum.
· We still have some un settled arrears resulting from previous supplies
· The process of changing from triple to double beds is still ongoing and requires regular financing.
· The commission requirement of a dining hall has re-emerged. This therefore requires us to remove the temporary bricks we had put in it and make some furnishing and roofing.
· Inflation tends to drive upward demand for increased salaries by staff, despite failing ability by some parents to timely make fees payments in school.
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS BEFORE AND ON OPENING
· Candidates will register for exams. However the dates and charges are not yet set by the commission.
· Purchase of more science chemicals and apparatus for 2023 verification before registration of candidates
· Working on the dining hall
· Some internal repairs
· Working on our part for the boys’ dormitory. Roofing will not be done before beginning of term, but the finished levels will be ready. It is our duty to work on internal toilets, shower rooms the floor and compound.
APPRECIATION
On behalf of the school family and fraternity and on my personal behalf and family, I wish to extend our heartfelt appreciation for all the support that we have received from you since the start of the year. It appeared a very difficult year for us at the start, many schools did not make it and closed, but we made it through because we moved the journey with trusted and caring partners. Please convey our thanks to all who worked with you to make us smile and shine at the end of the years’ journey. GOD BLESS YOU SO MUCH.
RONALD MULONDO.