NAKASEKE: The Rose Namayanja Foundation has recognised Butikwa Project Primary School in Kikamulo Sub-county, Nakaseke District, with a trophy and a bull after the school emerged as the best-performing Universal primary school in the district in the 2025 Primary Leaving Examinations .
According to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), 658 candidates passed in Division One, 3,819 in Division Two, 921 in Division Three, and 384 in Division Four in Nakaseke district.
Butikwa Project Primary School, a community-based Universal Primary Education (UPE) school, recorded an impressive performance, with 69 out of 99 candidates attaining Division One, while the remaining candidates passed in Division Two. The results marked a remarkable turnaround for a school that had previously struggled academically.
The school’s transformation follows reforms initiated by Nakaseke LC V Chairperson Ignatius Koomu Kiwanuka, who several years ago ordered the demotion of the former headteacher after the school consistently ranked among the district’s poorest performers.
The Nakaseke District Education Department later appointed Rahumah Nantongo as headteacher, and under her leadership the school has undergone significant improvement in both academic performance and administration, culminating in its emergence as the district’s top-performing government primary school.
In recognition of the achievement, Rt. Hon. Rose Namayanja Nsereko, through the Rose Namayanja Foundation (RNF), on Friday presented the school with a trophy and a bull as part of the foundation’s annual education awards aimed at promoting academic excellence in Nakaseke District.
The foundation also distributed PASS PLE newspapers to other government primary schools to support candidates preparing for future examinations.
Speaking during the ceremony, Namayanja said the annual awards are intended to motivate learners, teachers and schools to strive for excellence.
”I congratulate the headteacher, teachers, learners and parents upon this outstanding performance. We are committed to supporting initiatives that improve education, and this recognition is only the beginning. I encourage you to maintain these standards so that we can return to celebrate even greater achievements,” Namayanja said.
She reminded parents that their involvement remains critical to children’s academic success, urging them to provide scholastic materials, guidance and other basic necessities required for learning.
Besides recognising Butikwa Project Primary School, the foundation also awarded cash prizes to outstanding students from Nakaseke District who excelled in the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations.
Namayanja encouraged learners to believe that success is possible regardless of their background.
”It is possible to excel from Nakaseke and become an important person in this country. I always tell young people that I once sold pancakes in Kande Village before studying at Bukalabi and Katikamu Light School in Masulita. We are here to show you that your background should never limit your dreams,” she said.
Headteacher Rahumah Nantongo thanked the Rose Namayanja Foundation for recognising the school’s achievement and pledged to work even harder to ensure that the School maintains its position among the district’s best-performing schools.
She also presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Rt. Hon. Namayanja in recognition of the foundation’s continued support towards improving education standards in Nakaseke District.
Nakaseke Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Ramathan Kasozi Kato commended the school for its outstanding performance and challenged both teachers and school administrators to sustain the momentum.
He warned underperforming headteachers that government expects improved service delivery following the enhancement of teachers’ salaries.
”Government has increased teachers’ salaries to improve service delivery. We therefore expect better performance from our schools. Absenteeism will not be tolerated, and teachers who fail to report for duty should not expect to continue earning salaries. Headteachers must ensure accountability,” Kasozi said.
He further noted that with the Ministry of Local Government intensifying monitoring of public projects and civil servants, district officials would also strengthen supervision of schools to ensure quality education.
Kasozi also revealed that the district had renewed its Memorandum of Understanding with the Rose Namayanja Foundation in recognition of the foundation’s positive contribution to improving education and community development across Nakaseke.
Nakaseke LC V Chairperson Ignatius Koomu Kiwanuka praised the Rose Namayanja Foundation for complementing government efforts to improve education standards.
Koomu said the decision to replace the former school leadership had yielded the desired results.
”I thank the headteacher, teachers and the School Management Committee for transforming this school. Butikwa Project Primary School is now in safe hands. As district chairperson, I will never tolerate poor performance where leadership is expected to deliver results,” Koomu said.
The Rose Namayanja Foundation is a Ugandan non-governmental organisation dedicated to inspiring and empowering Ugandans through leadership, education, entrepreneurship and social development. The foundation places particular emphasis on supporting the girl child, women and vulnerable communities.
Registered under Uganda’s Non-Governmental Organisations Act, the foundation was established by Rt. Hon. Rose Namayanja Nsereko, drawing inspiration from her own journey from humble beginnings in rural Nakaseke to national leadership.
Having grown up in a war-affected area in a poverty-stricken family, Namayanja says her life experiences continue to inspire her commitment to creating opportunities for disadvantaged children and young people to achieve their full potential through education and leadership.
