Over the years that UHST has been operating as a charity we have done our best to foster a spirit of partnership with the Humanist Schools in Uganda. Actions taken to support each school emerge from a process of shared deliberation on needs and priorities in relation to the resources available both locally from school fees and from donations by UHST supporters. Our long-term goal is to achieve self-reliance and long-term sustainability, such that schools no longer rely upon UHST funds for survival, and we are left to focus on providing those extras that enhance the learning experience of children in Humanist Schools.
After much discussion, UHST and the schools have agreed that we will play our respective parts to:
Raise funds to complete the essential infrastructure needed by each school to comply with Ministry of Education requirements.
Ensure that local fee income is sufficient to cover staff salaries, school meals, educational consumables and other day-to-day running costs.
Phase out UHST scholarships by 2030 and replace them with money set aside from school income to provide short-term hardship funds and longer-term fee waivers to keep in school bright children whose parents and guardians are struggling to pay full fees. This will be supplemented by funds going directly from Humanist well-wishers around the world to school-based scholarship schemes.
Schools will aim to fund from their own resources:
Educational outings and field trips
Inter-school competitions e.g. sports, debating.
School furniture.
The maintenance of existing buildings and provide new buildings.
UHST will continue, as funding permits, to provide emergency support, help with staff training, learning resources, and other developments that improve learning opportunities.
So that we could concentrate on getting existing schools into a good state we decided some time ago to forgo the challenge of supporting new start-up schools. We hope that Humanist organisations and individuals around the world will step in to help and this is already happening.
Bequests from the wills of UHST supporters have been instrumental in funding large buildings across the Humanist schools. During 2025 we learned the sad news of the death of Dr Alan Chitty, who had supported UHST for a many years. Alan left money in his will to the charity and, after discussion with Ian and Chloe his son and daughter, we decided that it should be used to build a dormitory for boys at Katumba Parents’ Humanist Primary. The places are being allocated to children who are orphans, have a particularly long walk to school or who are in their final P7 year and need better conditions than they had at home to prepare for their Primary Leaving Examinations. The dormitory is now finished. Below is a picture of the Dormitory, which has been dedicated in Dr Alan Chitty’s name, and a letter of thanks from Juma Irumba Siriwayo, the school’s Director.
Children and Katumba community members at the Dr Alan Chitty Boys’ Dormitory
A new report by two British students assesses the impact of Isaac Newton Humanist School on its community. After completing a Masters degree in International Development at Manchester University, Mattie Robson and Harry Wood have been out to Uganda to conduct an exploratory research study to measure the impact of the school on students and the economy of the poor rural community around it.
Harry Wood, Peter Kisirinya, Peter’s father and Mattie Robson
The picture above was taken on Mattie and Harry’s arrival at the school. Peter Kisirinya the school Director acting as host took them to meet his 92 year old father. Peter arranged their accommodation. They ate meals with the students where they learned the delights of a daily diet of posho (maize porridge) and beans. The following picture shows them with members of the school’s Humanist Club.
Humanist Club members guided the pair during the visit. They took them to visit local families and businesses and acted as translators.
It is very good for the Humanist schools to receive visitors from abroad. Both groups learn much from the experience and lasting friendships are made.
The two weeks that Mattie and Harry spent in the vicinity of Isaac Newton gave them an insight into the issues they would face if they had the opportunity to conduct a more detailed study of the impact of a school on its environment. Their interim report can be downloaded from the following link:
Posted: May 23, 2026 by Steve Hurd
Towards Humanist School self-reliance and sustainability
Over the years that UHST has been operating as a charity we have done our best to foster a spirit of partnership with the Humanist Schools in Uganda. Actions taken to support each school emerge from a process of shared deliberation on needs and priorities in relation to the resources available both locally from school fees and from donations by UHST supporters. Our long-term goal is to achieve self-reliance and long-term sustainability, such that schools no longer rely upon UHST funds for survival, and we are left to focus on providing those extras that enhance the learning experience of children in Humanist Schools.
After much discussion, UHST and the schools have agreed that we will play our respective parts to:
So that we could concentrate on getting existing schools into a good state we decided some time ago to forgo the challenge of supporting new start-up schools. We hope that Humanist organisations and individuals around the world will step in to help and this is already happening.
See full report…
Posted: March 7, 2026 by Steve Hurd
The Difference a Bequest can make
Bequests from the wills of UHST supporters have been instrumental in funding large buildings across the Humanist schools. During 2025 we learned the sad news of the death of Dr Alan Chitty, who had supported UHST for a many years. Alan left money in his will to the charity and, after discussion with Ian and Chloe his son and daughter, we decided that it should be used to build a dormitory for boys at Katumba Parents’ Humanist Primary. The places are being allocated to children who are orphans, have a particularly long walk to school or who are in their final P7 year and need better conditions than they had at home to prepare for their Primary Leaving Examinations. The dormitory is now finished. Below is a picture of the Dormitory, which has been dedicated in Dr Alan Chitty’s name, and a letter of thanks from Juma Irumba Siriwayo, the school’s Director.
Posted: March 3, 2026 by Steve Hurd
Isaac Newton School Impact Report
A new report by two British students assesses the impact of Isaac Newton Humanist School on its community. After completing a Masters degree in International Development at Manchester University, Mattie Robson and Harry Wood have been out to Uganda to conduct an exploratory research study to measure the impact of the school on students and the economy of the poor rural community around it.
The picture above was taken on Mattie and Harry’s arrival at the school. Peter Kisirinya the school Director acting as host took them to meet his 92 year old father. Peter arranged their accommodation. They ate meals with the students where they learned the delights of a daily diet of posho (maize porridge) and beans. The following picture shows them with members of the school’s Humanist Club.
Humanist Club members guided the pair during the visit. They took them to visit local families and businesses and acted as translators.
It is very good for the Humanist schools to receive visitors from abroad. Both groups learn much from the experience and lasting friendships are made.
The two weeks that Mattie and Harry spent in the vicinity of Isaac Newton gave them an insight into the issues they would face if they had the opportunity to conduct a more detailed study of the impact of a school on its environment. Their interim report can be downloaded from the following link:
Isaac Newton High School Impact Report 2026