Sembatya, an old student of Kibuli SS, said this last week as the keynote speaker during the school’s student award ceremony held at the school. It was the eighth academic award ceremony, an initiative by the Kibuli Old Student Association (KOSA), and includes 17 categories of awards.
“In physics, Thomas Edison attempted to create a bulb light for about 1,000 times and failed. But persisted, and on the 1,001 times, he succeeded and created the bulb light,” he said.
“Shamsa Nakakande, the 2023 UACE best candidate at Kibuli SS, got aggregate 12 in PLE. She later scored aggregate 31 in the S4 finals, which wasn’t a good mark. But she insisted and didn’t panic until she scored 20 points at S6, which is the best mark,” he added.
According to Abdu-Wahab Nyanzi, a committee member representing students of the year 1997, the awards are designed to promote academic excellence by rewarding outstanding performance in different categories such as academics, leadership, sports, Qur’an recitation and others.
“Students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the classroom and have earned honour standing are recognised and awarded a plaque and others with plaque and cash,” he said.
Nyanzi said they will add more categories of awards next year and later attach bursaries.
“We believe this will attract more students to compete and win these awards, thereby improving performance,” he said.
The awards are named after the retired teachers at Kibuli SS who recognized their work in transforming Kibuli SS into an academic, leadership and sports giant. Hajj Ibrahim Ssemakadde, the head teacher at Kibuli SS, said the awards inspire both the learners and teachers to deliver good services and promote the school.
“The competition and the results from these awards will push the school to the top giant schools, and Kibuli shines,” he said.
Hajj Abbas Kaawaase Mukasa, the retired head teacher of Kibuli SS, who headed the school for 24 years (1978– 2002), said the awards not only motivate students for better performance but also improve discipline and life.
“I always encourage students and teachers to maintain discipline if they want to succeed in sports and academics,” he said.
Victoria Serunkuuma Kisarale, the former head teacher at Gayaza High School and also the former matron at Kibuli SS, said the awards motivate students to set new goals, stay focused, and be committed to scoring good results.
Kibuli SS started in 1959 as a secondary school by a combination of members of the Uganda Muslim Education Association (UMEA), which was then in charge of Muslim education.
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