King’s College Budo, Mengo SS seek land for new campuses

The Bishop of Namirembe Diocese, the Rt Rev Moses Banja, has said the Church will look into the request by a section of Anglican founded schools seeking to establish new branches on Church land.

Addressing members of the Diocesan Synod during a meeting at Namirembe Diocese last Friday, Bishop Banja said the leadership of schools such as King’s College Budo and Mengo Senior Secondary School had already expressed interest to expand and increase access to quality education. 

“King’s College Budo intends to establish a new campus at Ndejje-Namasuba, while Mengo Senior Secondary School seeks to establish a private boarding school in Buloba, Wakiso District,” Rev Banja said amid thunderous applause from members of the Diocesan Synod, some of whom said the new development would relieve parents from the hustle of securing places in such schools.

Bishop Banja acknowledged that there is need for these schools to expand and accommodate more students, saying many parents are yarning to educate children from schools such as Gayaza High School, King’s College Budo and Mengo Senior Secondary School, among others, yet the available spaces cannot accommodate all the learners.

He, however, said the Church, through the education department, would analyse the requests of these schools and later share feedback during the May 2024 Diocesan Synod meeting.    
Efforts to get a comment from the schools in question were futile as school administrators we talked to yesterday said they were only comfortable sharing their views during weekdays.  

Mr Saul Kintu, a member of the Diocesan Synod, said all church-founded schools with excellent academic performance should also consider opening branches in various locations and ensure that they maintain the standards of the main campuses.

He revealed that Gayaza Junior School Jjungo campus, located in Kasanje Sub-county in Wakiso District, a branch of Gayaza Junior School, had opened doors to more learners to access same education offered by the main campus.

“Some parents who wish their children to be admitted to such schools have been bounced because the schools have no capacity to accommodate all the children with the required grades, who wish to study from there,” he said.

Ms Roseline Biingi Kawiso, the president of Namirembe Diocese Mothers’ Union, welcomed the idea, saying the move would absorb a bigger number of Anglican learners in such schools.

Church schools 

Some of the famous Anglican Church-founded schools include King’s College Budo, Budo Junior School, Gayaza Junior School, Gayaza High School, Iganga SS, Ndejje SS, Bweranyangi Girls’ SS, Mengo SS, Mbarara High School, Kigezi High School, Busoga College Mwiri, Nabumali High School, and Sir Samuel Baker High School, and Wanyange Girls SS, among others.