Oyam, Uganda: Abok Seed Senior Secondary School in Oyam District has appealed to the National Secretariat for Patriotism to provide critical support that would enhance patriotism education among students.
The call comes after concerns that newly established schools, like Abok Seed, are struggling to sustain active patriotism clubs due to lack of basic materials such as patriotism literature, uniforms, and award certificates.
Patrick Gira, the head teacher of Abok Seed SS, said the absence of these vital resources was hindering the effective operation of patriotism programs.
“Patriotism literature was given out a long time ago, and the uniforms are no longer being provided. Yet, these uniforms are very important for identification. Schools like ours, which started late, have not had the opportunity, making it difficult to operate the clubs effectively,” Gira said.
Patriotism in Uganda is defined as the devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country, with schools serving as key platforms for instilling these values among the youth. Recently, 3,308 patriotism corps drawn from seven secondary schools were trained and passed out in Oyam District.
However, students themselves have voiced frustrations. Bridget Okoi, a student at Abok Seed SS, lamented that students who completed the patriotism training were never issued certificates.
“This training we underwent on patriotism feels wasted because we didn’t even receive certificates for patriotism. It’s discouraging, and it feels like we are working for nothing,” Okoi said.
Madinah Zalwango, the Principal Officer for Higher Institutions of Learning at the National Secretariat for Patriotism, acknowledged the concerns raised by Abok Seed and other schools in the region.
She confirmed that during a recent inspection across the Lango Sub-region, disparities in access to patriotism uniforms and literature were noted.
“We have been inspecting schools in the Lango sub-region and noticed that some schools lack uniforms and patriotic literature, unlike others. The Secretariat is aware of these challenges and is working to address them soon,” Zalwango assured.
The National Secretariat has pledged to prioritize support for under-resourced schools to ensure that all students, regardless of their location, are adequately equipped and motivated to promote patriotism and national values.
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