Mengo, Kampala: FUFA President Moses Hassim Magogo has hailed the newly launched Schools of Excellence programme as the realisation of a decade-long strategy to professionalise youth football development in Uganda.
Speaking during the official certification ceremony on Wednesday at the FUFA Complex in Mengo, Magogo said the initiative had been in planning for over ten years and marks a major milestone in structuring grassroots football.
“We have been thinking about this programme for the last ten years. It has been on our to-do list, but for some reason we have not reached the level we are at today. I want to thank everyone in your different capacities,” Magogo said.
Magogo explained that the programme is designed to align school football with national regulatory frameworks, with participating institutions set to be certified as Grade Three academies.
“Our strategy is that the Schools of Excellence will also receive certification as Grade Three academies. Under Ugandan law, to teach football, you must have that academy licence,” he noted.
He added that the initiative will operate under a shared responsibility model between FUFA and the selected schools to ensure holistic player development.
“The federation will take certain responsibilities outlined in the MOU, and the schools will also take theirs. Once these students are enrolled, FUFA will take responsibility for their scholastic materials. Essentially, the federation will act like a parent,” Magogo said.
Schools, regions confirmed
A total of 11 schools have been confirmed for the programme, covering different regions of the country, with Kitara Region’s boys’ representative still under evaluation.
For the boys’ category, the selected schools include Jinja Secondary School (Eastern), Kibuli Secondary School (Kampala), St. Joseph’s College Layibi (Northern), St. Kagwa Bushenyi High School (Western), St. Charles Lwanga Koboko (West Nile), Standard High School Ndejje Campus (Buganda), and Bukedea Comprehensive School (North East).
For the girls’ programme, Bishop Comboni College Kambuga, Amus College, Hopeful Future Secondary School, and Wisdom High School Akalo will oversee talent development across regional zones.
Boost to grassroots football
FUFA officials, including 1st Vice President Justus Mugisha, Deputy CEO Sheba Ronah Ampaire, Football Development Director Bashir Mutyaba, and Legal Director Denis Lukambi, witnessed the signing of Memoranda of Understanding with the participating schools.
Each institution received 10 footballs to support training and talent development as part of FUFA’s broader grassroots investment.
The federation will also provide technical staff, training equipment, kits, and structured guidance, while schools will offer bursaries to support selected players.
FUFA says the programme is aimed at creating a clear national pathway for identifying and nurturing elite football talent within the education system.
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.
