KAMPALA – Stanbic Bank Uganda and the Buganda Kingdom through its Educational and Cultural affairs Office (EKO), will host the first ever ‘Schools Skills Expo’ from January 21 to 22 at the Butikkiro Tourism Centre in the precincts of the King’s Palace.
There is no entrance fee for the expo which is expected to attract hundreds of schools in Buganda Kingdom and beyond. However, 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 to onlookers.
The expo will provide a platform for stakeholders, including school administrators, suppliers, parents, financiers, insurers and students to interact on several issues affecting the education sector.
Speaking at a joint press conference today, Stanbic Bank’s Executive Director Emma Mugisha said, “We are pleased to partner with Buganda Kingdom in co-hosting this inaugural expo that will bring together stakeholders in the education ecosystem.”
She said, “The education sector is still in recovery mode following an unprecedented two years out of business due to the Covid-19 pandemic and putting the future of over 15 million learners countrywide at stake. It is therefore a shared responsibility of all stakeholders to contribute to the full recovery of the sector and we therefore thank Buganda Kingdom for this initiative.”
Chris Bwanika, the Kingdom’s Attorney General lauded the association for lobbying and widening its network by bringing Stanbic Bank on board. Quoting the Katikkiro, ‘akuwagw’owa’ (You give one that gives you), he said, “Therefore 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.”
Mugisha said at the start of the 2022 academic year, Stanbic Bank in a bid to facilitate successful reopening of its clients in the education sector, waived over UGX1.5billion in accrued unpaid interest on loans and helped over a million students to return to class.
“After government eased Covid-19 lockdown measures, in January 2022, we earmarked UGX60 billion to support the re-opening of schools. Parents and schools were offered affordable financing to meet the education needs. Many parents have testified to us that this was an important offer that came at the right time. We reiterate our support to the sector,” she said.
Bwanika said, “EKO commends Stanbic Bank for partnering with the Kingdom to organize this expo which will create an opportunity for the children to talk to teachers, counselors, trainers and the school managers in an atmosphere which is out of the school setting. In addition, there will be concurrent training/dialogue sessions for the girl and boy children, women and the banking institutions to further enhance their financial literacy.”
“We urge parents, their children and the general public to come and have a chance to directly talk to the school managers and participating financial institutions for further inquiries and discussions to gain better understanding,” he added.
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