Lake Victoria School Entebbe formerly known as Entebbe European School has celebrated 100 years of existence since 1924, a school which was started by the British Colonial Government with calls to rehabilitate the school.
The Queen (Nnaabagereka) of Buganda Kingdom, Sylvia Nagginda who was the Chief guest as well as the old girl of the school (OG) was welcomed by the kingdom's education minister, Cotilda Nakate among other officials.
While addressing the gathering at the school's playgrounds, Nagginda expressed happiness upon returning to her former school after 49 years and informed the gathering how she won different sports races under Blue House.
However, she expressed concerns on the current state of the school infrastructures and wondered what had happened to the school.
The Queen tasked the school headmaster, Stephen Nabende devise efforts to put in place to renovate the school structures on top of reviving the school's legacy and academic standards.
"We can organize ourselves effectively and collectively contribute to the restoration and improvement of the school's infrastructure" Her Royal Highness noted.
The Queen of Buganda emphasized on a need for government to recognize the historical significance and welfare of traditional schools in order to ensure their continued existence in the changing technological education innovations in the country.
"It's crucial for the government to recognize the historical significance and ongoing importance of schools like Victoria. We must advocate for government resources to rebuild and refurbish the infrastructure of these institutions while also engaging the private sector to secure funding and resources for educational programmes and technological innovations" she said.
"We can't just be talking about building a lab, this should have already been a lab and we're talking about higher technological innovations. We as the alumni can play an instrumental role in this transformation. By organizing ourselves effectively, we can collectively contribute to the restoration and improvement of the school's infrastructure and educational programmes."
"I thank you very much for the idea of naming an upcoming building, a block, after me. It is such a great honor. I urge us all to reflect on our shared history and the invaluable role that Lake Victoria School has played in our lives. Let us unite in our love for this institution and take proactive steps towards its rejuvenation. Together, we can ensure that the next century is filled with growth, innovation, and enduring excellence" she said.
Thereafter, she also planted a memorable tree in the school compound as part of centenary celebrations for the school that marked its 100th anniversary on September 21, 2024.
Currently, the school has only the population of 621 pupils.
Well-wishers and area leaders fundraised resources to renovate the school with the Entebbe Municipality Mayor, Fabrice Rulinda contributing Shs5 million, the Wakiso district Woman MP Betty Naluyima contributing cash worth Shs500,000 towards the renovation of the school premises among others.
The headmaster of the school, Steven Nabende said the school has continued to promote and protect the culture, values and academic standards that has seen it exist for the past 100 years.
"Through your office and your support with the help of the office of the mayor and the Entebbe leadership, we are proposing that you allow us to begin a secondary school or a vocational institution to champion the development in this country, the acreage of land we have is quite big to carry out these activities" he said.
However, Nabende also revealed the school's existence is threatened by land grabbers.
"We would like to embark on fencing our school, our school land is being threatened by land grabbers, the OC CID Entebbe was instructed by the committee of Entebbe sub-district to investigate cases of alleged land grabbing of part of the school land. We are yet to receive a report since April 2024, it's our humble prayer that the school land is safeguarded" he said.
History
Lake Victoria Primary School stood as a pillar of education in Entebbe since its establishment in the early 1920s, during the colonial era.
Founded at a time when Uganda was under British colonial rule, education was a privilege reserved for a few, and racial segregation was a harsh reality.
Schools like this one were divided, with strict racial hierarchies governing who could attend and under what conditions.
It was interesting to have two schools within the same compound. The current upper section was known as the European School-Entebbe while the lower section was known as Mugwanya Preparatory Primary School Entebbe, catering for the children of civil servants of high caliber like the permanent secretaries, judges, the commissioner and others of the African origin.
In 1963 after independence, the native government deemed it necessary to have two schools within one compound due to segregation.
It was when the current name of the Lake Victoria School-Entebbe. The two schools became one with an upper and lower section as they stand today. There was no more discrimination or segregation
After Uganda had achieved independence in year 1962, the management and administration gradually changed towards equal opportunities for the pupils, teachers and the parents.
Entebbe's former member of Parliament Rosemary Tumusiime recalled moments when she joined the school in 1972 with the change of government from Obote I to President Idi Amin in 1971, led to the transition from European Head teachers the last being Mr.Yates, who headed the school till she left in 1974.
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"I cherish the moments of the great school assemblies where we sang English hymns with a lot of passion. This instilled strong Christian values and helped to produce Women and Men of diginity and diginity in our generation," she stated.
"As the first directly elected Woman Member of Parliament for Entebbe Municipality, I owe my high self-esteem to the confidence building instilled in us as children to take on responsibility at different levels in school. My leadership journey begun here as an elected Librarian which was a post among the prefects"
According to Frank Walusimbi, the Head boy and champion of 100, 200 and 400 meters of his time, the dilapidated school defines the government's failure to intervene to the historical school.
"I studied at Lake Victoria school from primary three (P.3) up to primary seven (P.7) where I excelled in sports and became a champion of 100, 200 and 400 metres races not just at Lake Victoria school, but the entire Entebbe sports competitions. I was also head boy of Lake Victoria school with late Duncan Sebuggwao (RIP). Duncan was Queen Nabagereka Sylvia Nagginda's paternal uncle. Our time and education at Lake Victoria school was blessed and great opportunity for us who went to Lake Victoria school" Walusimbi recalled.
