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.
Ugandan A-level results were released on 1st March and students at Mustard Seed School are delighted with their achievements. 15 students out of 16 gained the minimum of 2 A-levels which they require to continue their education at vocational college and university levels. This is a major advance for the school and both students and staff deserve congratulations. (Students taking their A-level subsidiary Computer Studies eaxmination).
This follows the steady improvement in O-level School Certificate results in recent years, which has encouraged more students to stay on at school for A-level study.
Out of 16 students entered for A-levels at the end of 2016, all but one student gained at least two A-levels – the minimum requirement to move on to Higher Education courses. With two A-levels students are eligible for further academic study but also for a variety of vocational courses including: training for nursing and medical ancillary occupations, teaching (especially at primary level), agricultural college and technical training, such as motor vehicle mechanics, plumbers, electricians.
8 students, 4 boys and 4 girls, gained 3 A-levels, which is a huge achievement for a small rural school. This will enable the students to move on to good universities if they can secure funding. Competition for full government scholarships on academic courses is tight and probably none of the students have the grades required for this. Students training as nurses and teachers are usually eligible for state support, but others, who find it a struggle to fund further courses, should be able to find better jobs in the labour market than would have been possible without their qualifications.
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.
Posted: March 10, 2017 by Steve Hurd
A-Level Breakthrough at Mustard Seed
This follows the steady improvement in O-level School Certificate results in recent years, which has encouraged more students to stay on at school for A-level study.
Out of 16 students entered for A-levels at the end of 2016, all but one student gained at least two A-levels – the minimum requirement to move on to Higher Education courses. With two A-levels students are eligible for further academic study but also for a variety of vocational courses including: training for nursing and medical ancillary occupations, teaching (especially at primary level), agricultural college and technical training, such as motor vehicle mechanics, plumbers, electricians.
8 students, 4 boys and 4 girls, gained 3 A-levels, which is a huge achievement for a small rural school. This will enable the students to move on to good universities if they can secure funding. Competition for full government scholarships on academic courses is tight and probably none of the students have the grades required for this. Students training as nurses and teachers are usually eligible for state support, but others, who find it a struggle to fund further courses, should be able to find better jobs in the labour market than would have been possible without their qualifications.