While Universal Primary Education graduates can only boost of experience in playing football for boys and ‘dodging the ball’ for girls, at Buddo Parents Academy; pupils make liquid soap, chalk, and all types of juice.
Pupils here undertake different forms of vocational training and art work that make money to both the pupils and the school.
The School headed by Mr. Kawooya Muwembe, the chairman CBS FM radio station is the first Vocational primary school in Uganda.
But Kawooya says it was a battle to get the school licensed as a vocational primary school as the Ministry of Education and Sports wondered how the school could teach both vocational and the normal primary syllabus at ago.
However, the ministry sublimed later and licensed the move. The School then officially started operations in 2013.
“We are building young entrepreneurs,” says Manjo Neema a trainer at the school. “Our children should come from school when they can do something for themselves,” she adds.
Mulungi Stella a P.4 pupil enrolled at the school in P.2, says she has gained hands on experience at the school in the two years she has spent there. She is optimistic at becoming self employed and getting a first grade.
“I can make rice with silver fish, liquid soap, tomato sauce and chilli, cocktail juice, sugarcane juice, chalk and art pieces,” brags Mulungi.
Tasked on explaining how one of the items is prepared, Mulungi explains that cocktail juice is made from a mixture of mangoes, pineapples and passion fruits. Mulungi adds that preservatives are used to make the juice last longer.
Neema, the trainer, says that hands on lessons take place on Fridays and over the weekends. This timetable thus enables pupils to concentrate on both.
Pupils at Buddo Parents Academy pay between Ushs. 300,000/= and 600,000/= per term.
