Luweero, Uganda — Leaders of Islamic-founded schools in Luweero District have called for greater participation of Muslims in the teaching profession in order to create better balance within institutions established on Islamic values.
The call was made by Hajji Kalume Abubaker, Director of Abusha Schools, during a visit to schools in Katikamu Subcounty by Waswa Abdulkarim Tamale, the Greater Luweero Coordinator and Political Personal Assistant to Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo.
Among the institutions visited were Abusha Junior School Boarding Campus and Bombo Muslim Secondary School in Nemagaza, both of which continue to maintain strong academic performance in national examinations.
Despite the success registered by the schools, Hajji Kalume explained that the issue is not about a shortage of teachers but rather the limited number of Muslim educators working in institutions that were established on Islamic foundations.
According to him, Abusha Schools have a full teaching staff, but only a small fraction of them are Muslims.
“We have enough teachers in our schools and we appreciate the dedication of all of them. However, when you look at the numbers, you may find that out of about 50 teachers, only around five are Muslims while the rest are Christians. This does not mean that the others are not doing a good job, but for schools founded on Islamic values, having a balanced representation is important,” Hajji Kalume explained.
He emphasized that teachers from different religious backgrounds have played a major role in the success of the schools and continue to be valued members of the education community.
“Our Christian teachers have done tremendous work and we respect their contribution because education is a shared responsibility. What we are encouraging is simply greater participation of Muslims in the teaching profession so that we can have better balance within our institutions.”
Hajji Kalume further called upon the Muslim fraternity to view teaching as an important career path that contributes to shaping society.
“Teaching is one of the most honorable professions because it shapes the future of our children. I want to encourage the Muslim community to engage more in the teaching sector. When more Muslims become teachers, it will help strengthen our schools and make it easier to guide learners within the values on which these institutions were founded,” he said.
Despite the imbalance in representation, Abusha Schools continue to post strong academic results. Abusha Junior School Boarding Campus recorded impressive performance in the previous Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), maintaining its reputation as one of the well-performing primary schools in the region.
Similarly, Bombo Muslim Secondary School has also maintained commendable results in the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations, reflecting the dedication of teachers and school leadership to providing quality education.
Speaking during the visit, Waswa Abdulkarim Tamale commended the leadership and staff of the schools for their continued commitment to academic excellence.
“The performance we see at Abusha Junior School and Bombo Muslim Secondary School shows the importance of teamwork between teachers, parents, and school management. These institutions are doing a commendable job in preparing learners for a better future,” Tamale noted.
The Headteacher of Abusha Junior School Boarding Campus, Hajjat Komuranga Sharifa Kalume, also used the opportunity to call upon parents to strengthen their role in guiding their children both at home and at school.
“Parents must remain responsible caretakers of their children. They should always monitor what their children go through in their daily lives, especially in this era where social media trends can easily influence learners,” she said.
She urged parents to pay close attention to the digital environments their children interact with and to help them remain focused on education.
“Some social media trends can easily distract learners. Parents must guide their children away from negative influences and support teachers in raising disciplined and focused learners.”
The Chairperson of the School Management Committee (SMC), Hajji Kigozi Ali, emphasized the importance of cooperation between parents and teachers in shaping responsible learners.
“Education succeeds when parents and teachers work together. When parents respect and support teachers, and teachers remain committed to guiding learners academically and morally, schools are able to produce better results,” he said.
Uganda’s education sector continues to benefit from policies implemented by the government led by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the ruling National Resistance Movement, which has created an enabling environment for both private and government schools to thrive.
Education stakeholders believe that with continued community engagement and encouragement of more Muslim youth to join the teaching profession, Islamic-founded institutions like Abusha Schools will continue to strengthen their educational mission while maintaining their cultural and religious values.
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