The bad weather did not deter thousands of pupils of 92-year-old Uganda Martyrs Junior Boys School, Namilyango, from showcasing great talent in front of their parents, teachers, guardians and well-wishers.
The school was holding its Sports Day after a five-year break. The participating houses were St Kiwanuka, St Mulumba, St Mbaga, St Kizito and St Mawagali. At exactly 9am, the learners started displaying riding skills in motocross, which was later followed by track and field games that included sack race, athletics, and tug of war.
The boys also showed they were not only academic giants but also stars in patriotic parades. The Chief Guest was Ms Caroline K Byakutaga, a Chief Magistrate and lecturer at Law Development Centre Kampala as well as a parent of the school.
The other moments of the day were the display of the gymnastic skills by the learners and the parents versus the teachers in the 100×4 relay.
In her speech, the headmistress, Sr Leticia Immaculate Nabukalu, emphasised that every house was a sports giant in their own right. For instance, she said, in 2017, St Kizito were the sports champions, while St Mbaga carried the day in 2018.
In 2019 St Mawagali were the MDD champions, St Mulumba in 2021 were the Common Wealth Essy Champions, while St Kiwanuka were the 1st runner up of the 2023 Academic League. This is indeed fulfilling for the vision bearer Mother Kevin who named and dedicated the school after the Uganda Martyrs. She ended her speech by thanking the parents and the development partners for supporting the school through its development activities and a call to parents and well-wishers to support the completion of a modern sports ground.
On her part, the Chief Guest, Ms Byakutaga thanked the School Management Committee and PTA that invited her to officiate this year’s Sports Day.
“The performance we have just witnessed and enjoyed today is a confirmation that our children are in the right place with the right mentors who have embraced an integrated curriculum that focuses on a holistic child development approach that is relevant in a child’s life. Let it be known that there are those in the world surviving on talents” she exclaimed.
She concluded her speech by thanking the teachers for a good job well done. She topped up the money raised by parents to purchase a bull which will be slaughtered for the teachers as a thank-you gift. She requested the parents to show cause when invited by the school to fundraise for the School Sports Ground.
After the five-year wait, the new Sports Champions are St Mulumba who managed to collect 250 points, followed by St Kizito, while St Kiwanuka came in the third place. St Mbaga came in the fourth place followed by St Mawagali in fifth place. St Mulumba won itself a trophy and a bull.