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The United States Ambassador to Uganda, William W. Popp, visited Terego district and emphasized the importance of education, urging parents and students to embrace it.

United States Ambassador to Uganda William W. Popp with Students from Oriajini Primary School in Terego district

United States Ambassador to Uganda William W. Popp has urged parents and learners in Terego district to embrace education.

“We have come here to see how you are cooperating with the American companies to build the future of the young generation because we all know the power of education and as the US, we commit to partner with the Government to improve academic excellence and excel in all other programmes run by the Government with support from America”, he says.

Popp, who also gave out reading textbooks to the school, said the infrastructural development reveals the mutual partnership of Uganda with American companies to build a brighter future for Ugandans as he challenged the learners and parents to embrace education if they are to add value to the investment.

The eight-room dilapidated classroom block constructed in 1946 was renovated by the American Tower Corporation (ATC) as a social corporate responsibility for hosting a network tower in the area.

This comes barely four months after a fully furnished three-classroom block worth shillings 350 million was handed over to the school by the same company.

Popp was on his maiden visit to the West Nile region to supervise some of the US-supported projects in education and health sectors ahead of TB Day scheduled for March 25, 2024.

Popp planting a tree in Oriajini Primary School courtesy Photo New Vision

Oriajini Primary School headteacher David Jones Andresile commended the intervention of the American government as most of the 1,823 learners in the school have been accommodated in temporary tarpaulins due to classroom shortage.

Christine Aciferu, a retired teacher, who completed the primary cycle from the school, recalled how they used cow dung to smear the dilapidated classrooms.

“Every Friday, we used to go and look for cow dung to smear the classrooms and that was our cement which the community members are still doing seeing this classroom like this is quite commendable and we shall ever remain to remember you for this”, Said Aciferu

Katrini Subcounty LC3 chairperson Moses Maandebo described what has happened to the school as a total transformation which he said should translate into good performance as he committed to availing land for any similar future projects if needed.

ATC chief executive officer Dorothy Kabagambe Ssemanda described the intervention as a fulfillment of the commitment they made to improve academic infrastructure for a good working relationship with the community as she appealed to parents to send their children to school.

“Quality education is number four in the UN SDGs and education is one of the things we are passionately about if we put the infrastructure here and it is not used, then we are not doing ourselves any favour and that means we must send all our children to school,” Ssemanda said.

Oriajini primary school currently has 1,823 learners of which 897 are boys while 926 are girls.