Pallisa, Uganda: Kings Kids Nursery and Primary School, a school that began under a tree as a Sunday school class to keep children from disrupting church prayers, has risen into an academic powerhouse, topping Pallisa District Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) rankings for the eighth consecutive year.
Founded fifteen years ago at AGAPE International Ministries by Rev. Joshua Oriide, Kings Kids has grown steadily from a kindergarten into a full nursery and primary school, and later expanded to include a skills training institute serving the wider community.
Director Immaculate Oriide Aroot said the school’s transformation from a church-based initiative into a leading academic institution was driven by a clear vision and mission rooted in faith, discipline and academic excellence.
“We have grown gradually because our foundation was never accidental. The vision and mission were clear from the beginning, and that is what God has helped us build,” Aroot said.
In the 2025 PLE results released on Friday, Kings Kids emerged top in Pallisa District after 31 of its 45 candidates scored Division One, accounting for 32 per cent of the district’s 98 Division One candidates.
Aroot traced the school’s breakthrough moment to 2011, when seven of the eight candidates who had studied from the school’s kindergarten scored Division One, narrowly missing a clean sweep.
“The challenge with many private schools is poor vision and treating schools like family businesses. When objectives are unclear, teachers also stop working towards excellence,” she said.
Rev. Oriide said he deliberately detached himself from the school’s management to focus on his pastoral calling, handing full administrative responsibility to his wife.
“My calling is to serve the community spiritually. I entrusted the school to my wife so it could grow professionally without interference,” he said.
Head teacher Lawrence Yima attributed the school’s consistent performance over the last decade to teamwork, strong parental support, disciplined learners and committed teaching and non-teaching staff.
“The 2025 results placed us at the top in Pallisa. We scored 31 Division Ones out of 45 candidates. While we aimed for 100 per cent, we appreciate the 69 per cent Division One performance,” Yima said.
English Department head Francis Wawire said 39 of the 45 candidates obtained distinctions in English, with only six scoring credits. He noted that he has been recognised as Pallisa’s best English teacher for four consecutive years.
“Our director rewards performance, and we are confident the department will again be recognised based on the number of distinctions,” Wawire said.
Top candidate Valerian Okia, who scored five aggregates, said he hopes to become a doctor within the next eleven years to help reduce the patient-to-doctor ratio.
“I thank God, my parents, teachers and our director. They believed I could get four aggregates, but I am grateful for what God has given me,” Okia said.
His father, Ezekiel Osire, praised the school for supporting his son throughout his studies, noting that Okia was never sent home for school fees. His mother, Alaisha Kayendeke Osire, said the performance has set a high benchmark for his siblings.
Pastor David Malinga, whose son Emmanuel Oken scored six aggregates, attributed the school’s success to strong administration, teacher dedication and spiritual grounding, while Pastor Alozius Katula, father of best girl Abigail Bbaluka Kirabo with seven aggregates, said choosing Kings Kids was a divinely guided decision.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
