At the British Humanist Association Conference, held at the Hilton Hotel Leeds UHST took the opportunity to launch an appeal for a boys’ hostel at Isaac Newton High School.

Our display stand is illustrated. Thanks to the intervention of a Humanist from Oxford, Jean Davies, a cash collection was organised on the last morning of the conference. This raised £404 immediately and additional sums have been arriving by post since the conference.

Within the first three days we had raised over £1,700 towards the £27,000 cost of the project.

We have added a counter showing our progress towards the target on the front page of our website: www.ugandahumanistschoolstrust.org, and details of how to donate can be found here..

The legal paperwork to transfer the ownership of Fair View School to Isaac Newton School has been completed and a bank account opened in the name of Isaac Newton High School – Mbute Campus. Soon the Land Registry will complete the transfer of the land titles.
Peter Kisirinya has worked hard to mobilise staff. Annet Kysakye, the former Headteacher, has been reappointed along with some of the other former teachers. Several Isaac Newton teachers are teaching on both school sites and three of the best A-level students from Isaac Newton are teaching lower school classes there before they go to university. Efforts have been made to attract back former students and recruit new ones. Peter is working with local leaders to harness the support of the local community. The parent-teacher association has been reformed and parents and guardians have been helping to improve footpaths to the site. A large public meeting has been held to present the new school to the community. Teachers, as well as students, have been given a new uniform. Families were shown around the newly finished library and science lab and they heard of plans to develop the school.

The original cook has returned after suffering a stroke. She is delighted with the new kitchen which is nearing completion. It will have two efficient wood burning stoves which are externally vented and will allow her to cook in a smoke free atmosphere.

UHST has bought more books for the school and equipment and chemicals for the new science lab. We have also covered the shortfall in the staffing budget and ensured that all staff have been paid fully.

Toilets are the biggest current problem. The existing ones were built on the side of the hill and, due to land slippage, the boys toilets are breaking up. However, the good news is that International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) and the Norwegian Humanists (HAMU) are working together to fund new Blair-VIP toilet blocks for boys and girls. The work on these will begin within days.

Staff, students and parents are delighted that the school is showing such rapid improvement.

In the 2012 Uganda Certificate of Education (O-level) results one student gained a grade 1 aggregate (putting him in the top 8% of students in the country). 5 students failed through drop out before the exam but there were none with lower pass grades. Out of 44 students, 37 passed at grade 3 or better (grade 6 being the fail grade). The results are remarkable given the poor rural location, limited resources and relatively poorly qualified teachers. It is a testimony to high staff morale and hard work by staff and students alike.

For a second year the school has used scholarships from UHST to attract bright students from poor homes, all with grade 1 in the Primary Leaving Certificate. If this continues we should look forward to progressively improving standards in future. Moses Kamya also points to the beneficial effects of books, science materials and e-learning resources (see picture of A-level students in the computer lab).

Since the start of the year there have been further improvements in school infrastructure.

• New VIP toilets and washrooms for boys are finished (see picture to the right).
• Refurbishment of the new site is well advanced.
• Uganda National Examination Board has approved the school as a centre for A-level exams. This means that all Mustard Seed students will be able to take their exams in the school.

MMoses Kamya’s next priority is the levelling of land purchase last year, with a grant from UHST, to create a playing field.