Sam Kuloba, the retired commissioner for Secondary Schools in the Education ministry, says a school’s true test of success is whether it can keep thriving long after its founder or head teacher leaves the administration.
“Establishing a school requires major investment, but the continuing financial challenges begin after opening it,” he said. Kuloba was speaking at the Stanbic Business Forum held at Mount Elgon Hotel in Mbale on October 6.
Held under the theme, “The extra mile: Building schools for a sustainable future,” the platform brought together education stakeholders from the Eastern region to discuss the sustainability of schools.
He encouraged proprietors and school leaders to look beyond classrooms and academic performance and build institutions that can withstand financial, leadership and operational changes.
He said sustainable schools must professionalize financial management through realistic budgeting, proper accounting, transparent reporting and responsible expenditure.
“Schools should also diversify legitimate income, develop three- to five-year strategic plans, and prioritize completing projects instead of starting many, while also exploring partnerships with financial institutions to ease their development plans,” Kuloba said.
He said sustainability is a deliberate process that must begin before challenges emerge. He summed up that sustainable leadership requires professional management, accountability, succession planning, and teamwork, and that schools should not be built around the personalities or individual capabilities of their founders and head teachers.
Tunde Thorpe, the executive head of Business and Commercial Banking, said schools play a much bigger role in the country’s development than simply providing education.
“Over the years, we have helped individuals, schools, entrepreneurs and institutions move from ambition to action by financing growth, enabling payments, building capability and connecting businesses to opportunity. Over Shs 5 trillion of Stanbic money is invested in different sectors of the economy,” he said.
Thorpe said, “But impact is not measured only by the size of a balance sheet. It is also seen in the school that expands responsibly, the teacher who is better supported, the young person who gains relevant skills, the woman who builds a sustainable enterprise, and the farmer who can produce, add value and reach a dependable market.”
He said, as Uganda aims to grow its economy from about $50 billion to $500 billion by 2040, driven by agroindustrialisation, tourism, mineral development, and science, technology and innovation, we need to know that human capital is not a footnote to the tenfold growth ambition; it is one of its foundations.”
Hassan Nkuutu, the senior Education Inspector of Mbale, called for continued professional development, refresher courses and training for inspectors. Nkuutu said, “If the education system is changing, those responsible for monitoring it must also continuously develop their skills. We should also strengthen childhood education and foundational skills.”