Isaac Newton High School is a product of the local community, which has nurtured the school throughout the first 10 years of its development. The school is now determined to do what it can to help the community it serves. A month or so ago it formed the Isaac Newton Community Development Association to help local farmers to raise their productivity. The school has started to buy fertilisers and seeds in bulk and provide them at cost to local farmers.
In its latest development, it is adapting the curriculum itself to the needs of the local community. A-level Agriculture students, who work on the school land to grow crops to supplement school meals, are undertaking a very practical piece of research to help local farmers by finding the optimum way to use inorganic fertilisers. Notably, they are trying to find the best levels of use of the most common inorganic fertiliser used in Uganda, DiAmmonium Phosphate (DAP).
The schools arranged for its farm land to be tilled using a tractor and then engaged the students in carrying out the planting and weeding. The A-level Agriculture class has begun a research project, using the bean garden, on the effect of artificial and natural fertilizers on the yield of beans. The garden has been divided into eight equal areas as follows
An area where no fertilizer was applied
An area where DAP (artificial fertilizer) was top dressed
An area where farmyard (natural grren manure) was top dressed
An area where DAP was buried under ground
An area where farmyard manure was buried under ground
An area where both manure and DAP were top dressed
An area where both manure and DAP were buried under ground
An area where both manure and DAP were cast and then tilled before planting
On harvesting the weight of beans from each area will be noted and the results will be presented to the local community group, who will decide how to adapt their practices in the light of the findings.
This Humanist School is leading the way in giving its students a sense of responsibility for the community which has nurtured them. Such activities boost the genuine sense of pride which local families feel in Isaac Newton High School, which they cherish as their own.
Since the playing field was completed at the Mustard Seed School, there has been a large increase in opportunities for both boys and girls to play sports. Football is popular and there are both boys’ and girls’ teams. Athletics is also becming a regular feature of co-curricular activities.
Moses Kamya, the school’s Director, says:
“Mustard Seed School Busota lays emphasis not just on students’ academic progress but also on co-curricular needs as well. Sports and games are considered an avenue for students physical growth, confidence and provides very good publicity for the school when teams do well in local competitions.
Boys recovering after regional semi-final
Coca-cola cup won in 2016
Last year the boys’ football team took the Kamuli District coca-cola post primary trophy. They were one of the two teams chosen to represented Kamuli District in the regional football finals, where they reached the quarter finals. This year the boys football team defended their trophy in the annual coca cola post primary football competitions in kamuli district. They reached the semi finals. Unfortunately, there was unprecedented violence between children of two schools competing in the other semi-final so the final was called off. However, we have been chosen with another school to represent Kamuli District in the coming regional tournament on 13th April 2017 at Bukoyo High School in Iganga district.
The girls football team also participated in the district competitions, where they reached the quarter finals. The school is now regarded as being among the top schools in the district, due to growing excellence in both academic and
games and sports activities.
Girls team in regional quarter-final 2017
We are very grateful to UHST supporters for funding the purchase and levelling of the land for the playing field. We also thank all of the school’s supporters for helping us to realise our childrens’ aspirations.”
In 2017 there has been a huge increase in the number of parents wishing to enrol their children at Mustard Seed School. Instead of the normal intake of 50 students a year, the school has enrolled twice that number. This follows two years of good O-level results and the first year of outstanding A-level results.
As a result we have been helping the school plan for expansion. We have secured minimum 25 year leases on two large blocks of school land, and leases are pending on the rest of the land. This gives us the confidence to raise funds for a major expansion at the school. We have funded the services of a local surveyor who has drawn up the plan below for future developments around the new playing field.
The aim, over a number of years, is to build a new 4-classroom block, science lab, computer room, a new hall and staff housing.
The immediate priority is to provide additional classrooms, so the school can create two first year classes on the path to becoming a two-stream entry school. The first requirement is to build a security fence around the site. UHST has already sent funds to start this work. Immediately the site is secure we will begin the phased funding of the new 4-classroom block (see plan below).
UHST will need to raise £27,000 for this and we will need all the help we can get. A new toilet block will also need to be built at the same time.
These developments will make a huge difference to the school and set it on the path towards sustainability.
Posted: May 17, 2017 by Steve Hurd
Research by Isaac Newton students to increase local crop yields
In its latest development, it is adapting the curriculum itself to the needs of the local community. A-level Agriculture students, who work on the school land to grow crops to supplement school meals, are undertaking a very practical piece of research to help local farmers by finding the optimum way to use inorganic fertilisers. Notably, they are trying to find the best levels of use of the most common inorganic fertiliser used in Uganda, DiAmmonium Phosphate (DAP).
The schools arranged for its farm land to be tilled using a tractor and then engaged the students in carrying out the planting and weeding. The A-level Agriculture class has begun a research project, using the bean garden, on the effect of artificial and natural fertilizers on the yield of beans. The garden has been divided into eight equal areas as follows
This Humanist School is leading the way in giving its students a sense of responsibility for the community which has nurtured them. Such activities boost the genuine sense of pride which local families feel in Isaac Newton High School, which they cherish as their own.
Posted: April 9, 2017 by Steve Hurd
Growing sporting excellence at Mustard Seed School
Since the playing field was completed at the Mustard Seed School, there has been a large increase in opportunities for both boys and girls to play sports. Football is popular and there are both boys’ and girls’ teams. Athletics is also becming a regular feature of co-curricular activities.
Moses Kamya, the school’s Director, says:
“Mustard Seed School Busota lays emphasis not just on students’ academic progress but also on co-curricular needs as well. Sports and games are considered an avenue for students physical growth, confidence and provides very good publicity for the school when teams do well in local competitions.
Last year the boys’ football team took the Kamuli District coca-cola post primary trophy. They were one of the two teams chosen to represented Kamuli District in the regional football finals, where they reached the quarter finals. This year the boys football team defended their trophy in the annual coca cola post primary football competitions in kamuli district. They reached the semi finals. Unfortunately, there was unprecedented violence between children of two schools competing in the other semi-final so the final was called off. However, we have been chosen with another school to represent Kamuli District in the coming regional tournament on 13th April 2017 at Bukoyo High School in Iganga district.
The girls football team also participated in the district competitions, where they reached the quarter finals. The school is now regarded as being among the top schools in the district, due to growing excellence in both academic and
games and sports activities.
We are very grateful to UHST supporters for funding the purchase and levelling of the land for the playing field. We also thank all of the school’s supporters for helping us to realise our childrens’ aspirations.”
Posted: March 10, 2017 by Steve Hurd
Mustard Seed School Expansion Plan
In 2017 there has been a huge increase in the number of parents wishing to enrol their children at Mustard Seed School. Instead of the normal intake of 50 students a year, the school has enrolled twice that number. This follows two years of good O-level results and the first year of outstanding A-level results.
As a result we have been helping the school plan for expansion. We have secured minimum 25 year leases on two large blocks of school land, and leases are pending on the rest of the land. This gives us the confidence to raise funds for a major expansion at the school. We have funded the services of a local surveyor who has drawn up the plan below for future developments around the new playing field.
The aim, over a number of years, is to build a new 4-classroom block, science lab, computer room, a new hall and staff housing.
The immediate priority is to provide additional classrooms, so the school can create two first year classes on the path to becoming a two-stream entry school. The first requirement is to build a security fence around the site. UHST has already sent funds to start this work. Immediately the site is secure we will begin the phased funding of the new 4-classroom block (see plan below).
UHST will need to raise £27,000 for this and we will need all the help we can get. A new toilet block will also need to be built at the same time.
These developments will make a huge difference to the school and set it on the path towards sustainability.