Oyam, Uganda: A 17-year-old student at Ngai Secondary School, Vicky Atim, is struggling to continue her education after a pledge by NRM’s Director Mobilization, Ms Rosemary Nansubuga Seninde, to fund her school fees went unfulfilled.
Atim recalls that on July 23, 2023, during campaign rallies for the Oyam North by-election held at Omac P.7 School, Seninde publicly promised to support her education from Senior Two through to Senior Six. The pledge came during the National Resistance Movement (NRM) campaigns for Junior Okello Samwell, son of the late Minister Okello Engola.
“After being expelled from school due to unpaid fees, I started selling maize to raise money for my education. While I was busy selling, a group of people approached me and asked about the price of the maize. I told them it cost either 100 or 200,” Atim recalled.
She added, “At that moment, one man went down the road and informed Rosemary Nansubuga Seninde about me, saying, this young lady is in Senior 2, but her challenge is paying school fees, and that is when Rosemary publicly declared that she will support her with school fees from Senior 2 all the way to Senior 6. The community cheered and celebrated her generosity.”
However, Atim only received UGX 150,000 for one term during Senior Two. Since then, she has received no further financial support, and now in Senior Four, her academic journey remains uncertain.
“I’m frequently interrupted by the school administration due to unpaid fees. Sometimes I’m even sent home, and it feels like my dream of becoming a police officer is slipping away,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Atim remains hopeful. “I urge Rosemary Nansubuga Seninde to fulfill her promise so I can continue my education and achieve my dream of becoming a police officer. I also call upon any well-wishers to step in and support me,” she appealed.
Authorities at Ngai Secondary School confirmed Atim’s situation and their attempts to reach Seninde for fulfillment of the promise.
“We made several efforts to reach her, but unfortunately, we received no response,” said Jonnani Okot, the school’s headteacher.
DailyExpress has seen a WhatsApp conversation and a letter addressed to Rosemary Nansubuga Seninde regarding the matter, alongside her response. However, efforts to obtain an official comment from her were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
Atim’s story reflects the hardships faced by many students in rural Uganda, where even promises made in the political spotlight often fail to translate into sustained support for education.
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