Kabaka's Education Fund

Historical Background

The Kabaka's Education Fund (KEF) was first established in 1955 during the reign of Sir Edward Muteesa II, with the major purpose of helping the needy but bright students in the Kingdom of Buganda to attain higher education. Therefore, its area of emphasis was on high school certificate (HSC), the present day Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE). The Fund also provided scholarships to prestigious Western Universities and some of its beneficiaries include notables such as the former Attorney General of Uganda, Mr. Abubakar Mayanja; Surgeon, Dr. Abu Kiwanuka; Engineer Abdu Kagga; Honorable Kaddu Kiberu, MP for Nakaseke; Honorable Gerald Sendaula, Minister of Finance in the Uganda Government; and many other distinguished subjects of the Kabaka. In the mid 1960's, the Fund ceased to exist due to developments on the political scene in Uganda. Education in Buganda and Uganda as a whole took a nosedive in the 1970s and 1980s.

Upon the restoration of cultural institutions in Uganda in 1993, the education situation aroused the interest of Ssaabasajja Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II; whose attention soon focused on resolving this critical state of affairs. A Minister of Education was appointed and together with the Buganda Education Commission, a situational analysis was made and the findings presented to the Kabaka on the 28th February 1998. An important resolution was made to revive the Kabaka's Education Fund; which was subsequently launched on the 26th July 1998. The Fund soon became a pivotal point in the Kingdom's education improvement efforts in light of rising education costs, increasing numbers of school going children and degenerating school infrastructure.

Mission Statement

The Kabaka's Education Fund was established to improve the quality of life of the people of Buganda in particular, and Uganda as a whole, through high quality education that is accessible to all and relevant to the needs of the society.

The Aims and Objectives of KEF

With the revival of Kabaka's Education Fund, the Ministry of Education in Buganda Government was focused on redirecting the trend of education in the Kingdom. This became a major step in improving the quality of life of the people of Buganda in particular and Uganda as a whole through education. The aims of KEF are therefore to:

Principally promote high quality education, accessible to all and relevant to the needs of society.

Promote education of the Girl-Child; an area of serious concern to development in this country.

Assist Children in Buganda and Uganda as a whole to learn, accept and respect their culture by helping them through various education support schemes,

Accentuate the Luganda language as a medium of instruction in pre-primary and elementary/primary schools and as a study subject at subsequent higher levels. The Luganda language should be further promoted as a means of conveyance of Buganda Culture and Tradition.

Based on the preceding aims, KEF has therefore the following objectives:

To accord assistance to Buganda's disadvantaged but brilliant children through scholarships.

To invigorate the spirit and actively involve the people of Buganda in the realisation of education for all.

To enable pupils/students in Buganda get an education beneficial to them; by taking relevant subjects and courses in this line.

To identify the relevant needs of society by influencing policy in reviewing school curriculum development.

To assist schools in promoting quality education through the provision of qualified personnel, instructional materials and logistics.

Organisational Setup of KEF

The Kabakas' Education Fund, like other institutions of the Kingdom, is by tutelage under the Kabaka of Buganda. Administratively, it falls directly under the Ministry of Education and Sports in Buganda Kingdom. The Buganda Education Commission headed by a Chairperson undertakes the day to day running of education-related activities of the Ministry of Education including Kabaka's Education Fund. In its undertakings, the Buganda Education Commission operates through the following committees:

Scholarship Committee - in charge of the scholarship scheme;

Schools Management Committee - responsible for the running of Buganda owned schools;

Resource Mobilisation Management Committee - responsible for resources (human, material and financial) planning and development.

The Buganda Education Commission is answerable to the Minister of Education and Sports, who reports to the Kabaka on all education-related matters.

Sources of Funding

The Kabaka's Education Fund, upon its launching, was enthusiastically welcomed by a cross-section of ardent education well-wishers in Buganda and Uganda as a whole. Both individuals and organisations came out to support KEF's efforts to promote quality education. The following are major resource bases of the Fund:

Bika/Clan contributions. Each of the 52 officially recognised clans of Buganda is required to contribute Ug.shs.100,000 (One hundred thousands) annually toward KEF.

Individual contributions are received from various persons from Buganda, and friends of Buganda (within Uganda and abroad ).

The Business Community. Under this category, contributors include companies, trading houses and other industrial concerns.

KEF also holds fundraising activities and functions which take the form of Dinners, Get-Together-Parties etc.

Institutions of Learning make their contributions to the Fund by offering bursaries/study opportunities.

The Ministry of Education and Sports also raises money by charging a nominal fee for Scholarship Application Forms.

Contributions are also made to KEF in-kind e.g. land, building materials, infrastructure provision etc.

The Ministry of Education engages in gainful business ventures whose proceeds are a source of funds to KEF.

Achievements
Scholarship Scheme
During the two years of existence since being revived in 1998, KEF, under the scholarship scheme, has awarded scholarships to a total of 2219 pupils and students. In the year 2000 alone, the scheme catered for a total of 1068 pupils and students in Primary (330), Secondary (707) and Tertiary (31) Educational Institutions throughout the country. A small sampling of the institutions attended by the beneficiaries includes: Kasubi Church of God, Lubiri Nabagereka, St. Joseph Nsambya, Hormsidalen, and Seeta Boarding, at the primary level; Gayaza High School, Kololo High School, Lubiri High School, Namilyango College, St. Henry's Kitovu, Nabisunsa Girls, and Luweero Light of Life at the secondary level; Makerere University, Mbale Islamic University, ITEK Kyambogo, Mubende NTC, Nkozi NTC, Buganda Royal Institute, and University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi; at the tertiary level.

Establishment of Educational Institutions
KEF has funded the establishment of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary education institutions which include; Buganda Royal Institute of Business and Technical Education, Lubiri High School, Lubiri Nabagereka Primary School, all in Kyaddondo, and Bbowa SSS in Bulemeezi, among others.

School Assistance Programme
KEF extends development assistance to schools both materially and financially. This assistance takes the form of scholastic materials, computers, laboratory equipment, classroom furniture, building and construction materials among others. The assistance extended by KEF to schools in the year 2000 totaled Ushs.7,105,000/=

Sensitisation and Awareness
KEF has gone a long way in sensitising the communities on matters regarding the importance of education. It has found useful allies in this crusade among opinion and community leaders like the Ssaza/County Chiefs and Clan Heads. Consequently, mobilisation among the community has been facilitated. The activities and programmes of KEF have raised awareness and a positive attitude at the grassroots, of the need to support 'Education for All'. The efforts of KEF's Scholarship scheme are beginning to bear fiuits. Three of The KEF sponsored students graduated in various disciplines at University, in the academic year ending 1999. Many more KEF students are also completing their courses in various tertiary institutions.

A complete list of Fund beneficiaries is available from the Ministry of Education and Sports, Buganda Kingdom, P.O. Box 7451, Kampala, Uganda. Phone: 273 671 or 344 169, Fax: 344 169

Future Plans

The Kabaka's Education Fund will continue creating awareness about education for all in Buganda and Uganda as a whole, in line with its aims and objectives.

Kabakas' Education Fund through the Ministry of Education and Sports plans to build a new Secondary school at Namayumba-Wakiso, Busiro County at a cost of Uganda shs 20,000,000/=.

There are plans to complete Secondary Schools at Bbowa-Bulemeezi and Buvuma at a cost of Ug.shs. 10,000,000/= each.

KEF plans to rehabilitate Ssese Farm School, and equip Masaka Technical Institute at a cost of Ug.shs. 10,000,000/= each.

KEF intends to increase the number of scholarships awarded to students every year.

KEF is working out plans to produce instructional materials in the Luganda language for Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.

Nabagereka's Involvement in KEF Activities

The Nabagereka of Buganda fully appreciates the relevancy of Kabakas' Education Fund as a means of achieving education development. Notwithstanding, the availability of sufficient funds is important to the success of KEF's activities in its endeavour to promote quality and relevant education for the children of Uganda. In this regard, the Nabagereka has made a passionate contribution through her efforts in raising funds and other resources to support KEF.

On the 3^rd March 2000, the Nabagereka organised a dinner aimed at raising funds to support KEF activities, in which event, contributions and pledges totaled over UShs.62,000,000/=. Prior to that, a sequence of preparatory meetings were held and presided over by the Nabagereka. Out of these meetings, a total of UShs.40,000,000/= was realised both in cash and in kind. This contribution has gone a long way in bolstering KEF's expanded activities, especially this year.

KEF has particular interest in the plight of disadvantaged school-going children. In this regard, the Nabagereka laid a foundation stone for the construction of a classroom block for Abayitababiri SOS Children's Orphanage. This institution is meant to provide a place of abode to orphaned children and an opportunity to have education in a sanguine environment.

In her bid to promote education, the Nabagereka's presence graced the occasion of opening the new girl's residential hall at Nkumba University on the 7^th July 2000. This is in line with KEF's continued interest in promoting tertiary education and its associated institutions.

Her Majesty the Nabagereka also officiated as Chief Guest at a fund-raising drive for St. Paul's Boarding Primary School Kitagobwa on the 9^th of July 2000. As part of KEF's contribution towards the rehabilitation of the school, Her Majesty made a donation of UShs.1,000,000/= (One Million); and encouraged the community to cherish and treasure education as an important pillar of development.

Conclusion

KEF has in the latest two years of its existence established itself at the forefront of Buganda Kingdom's efforts in improving the status of education in this country. This success has been due to the concerted efforts of the sovereigns in the persons of the Ssabasajja Kabaka and the Nabagereka, the Ministry of Education and Sports, and the associated Education Committees. KEF has, with the hope that funds will be forthcoming, broad plans to increase efforts in education projects development in the coming years. The expectations of KEF in this direction continue to rank high in its priorities geared to enhancing the move towards 'Education for All' in this nation.

A Royal Appeal

His Majesty the Kabaka urges all Baganda, friends of the Kingdom, and those who cherish the development of Buganda to generously donate towards the fund in the following avenues:

A friend/sympathiser of the Fund donating not less that UShs. 1000 (1 US$) annually.
Attaining full membership of the Fund, through a generous donation of UShs. 100,000 (100 US$) annually.
Passing over any of your property to the Fund, by way of a will.
Engaging in activities that generate income to the Fund such as Rotary etc..
Pledging to pay for Buganda's needy children.
Buying of shares in projects/activities initiated by the Fund.
Donating to the Fund through any other possible ways.

Donors to the Fund will have their names registered against the funds donated and a numbered receipt will be given them. Already, the book for this purpose is in the Minister's Office in Bulange Mmengo. Please ensure that your children and grandchildren get a number in this book by supporting the Fund. Personalities and companies that make outstanding contributions annually, will have both the honour and privilege to register their names in the Kabaka's Golden Book and also meet His Majesty each year.

Top 10 Contributors, FY 2000.

Contributor	Amount (UShs.)
Mukwano Industries	10,000,000
United Assurance Co.	5,000,000
Kampala City Council	5,000,000
Bank of Uganda	2,500,000
Mr. Kizza Brazio	2,000,000
The NRM Secretariat	1,000,000
The Monitor Publications	1,000,000
Mr. And Mrs. Baagalaliwo	1,000,000
National Bank of Commerce	1,000,000
Kawempe Division, C/o Ssebuliba Mutumba	700,000

A complete list of Fund contributors is available from the Ministry of Education and Sports, Buganda Kingdom, P.O. Box 7451, Kampala, Uganda. Phone: 273 671 or 344 169, Fax: 344 169. If you wish to make a contribution, you can make out your cheque (denominated in UShs) in the names of Kabaka's Education Fund and send it directly to the Ministry of Education at the above address. For those living abroad, the external coordinator for the Fund is Omulangira Fred Kalema-Musoke and you can send your foreign-currency-denominated donations through him. Click on his name to send him an email requesting more details.

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