KAMPALA – dfcu Bank Uganda and Buganda Kingdom through its Educational and Cultural Affairs Office have entered a partnership to host the second Schools Skills Expo’ slated for January 26 to 28 in the precincts of the King’s Palace, Mengo.
The expo will then be taken to Kasana Nyendo, in Buddu, one of the counties (Ssaza) of the kingdom of Buganda between March 2nd and 4, 2024, organisers told PML Daily on Wednesday in Kampala.
dfcu Bank one of the lead sponsors has contributed UGX 20 million to support the arrangement that is expected to attract hundreds of schools in Buganda Kingdom and beyond.
During the skills expo, organizers said schools and other learning institutions will pay a minimal fee for hiring stall space to allow them to display their activities either electronically or physically but learners will not be charged entrance fares.
Brian Katamba, the head of the education and health sector at dfcu bank said the partnership with Buganda Kingdom seeks to ensure that they align with the Ministry of Education’s objective of ensuring quality education for all.
“The reason behind all this is to ensure that if we are to achieve one the quality education for all [pillar], then, we need to ensure that the schools that are within the kingdom are offering the best of education. We need to also ensure that the perspective of quality education is within reach for every parent and student,” he said while representing the bank at the partnership launch held at Bulange Mengo, the administrative headquarters of the Buganda Kingdom.
Under this arrangement, dfcu will support parents and guardians to get enough or adequate funds to support meeting the school fees deficit for their children and also offer services to the appropriators of schools
“As you all know, we are in January so this partnership comes timely because it helps every one of our parents to access the services from dfcu. It helps every one of the appropriators to access services from dfcu,” he said, committing to extend the bank’s partnership with the kingdom in many more programs and called upon all Ugandans to attend the 2024 expo edition.
Grace Nansubuga Lubowa, the acting chairperson, the Luganda Language Association (EKO) told reporters that the Expo will connect school proprietors and parents with their children to enable them to create a relationship that will help parents to make informed decisions on where to take their children and to make choices that fit into their pockets.
“We found out that parents have been struggling with fees and searching for schools,” she said.
Owek. Anthony Wamala, the minister of culture, traditional affairs, and tourism in Buganda Kingdom lauded EKO for lobbying and widening its network by bringing dfcu Bank on board and for the initiative that is intended to connect parents to schools.
“Imperfect economy is a result of lack of information, whereby schools look for students and they don’t know where to find them same as parents, look for schools and have nowhere to find them. So this Expo will help to link both parties.”
“This partnership comes at a good time when the new curriculum is coming out and we encourage everyone to come and interact with the schools,” Wamala stated.
He asked dfcu bank to help them in the process of school selection since they have a robust marketing system.
