The Kisoro Municipality Member of Parliament, Sam Byibesho, has donated 12,700 books worth more than 13 million shillings, along with pens and pencils, to government-aided primary schools across Kisoro Municipality.
The donation is aimed at promoting education, supporting learners, reducing school dropout rates and reducing learners’ dependence on their parents for scholastic materials. It is also part of Byibesho’s campaign pledge to support education in the municipality.
The scholastic materials included 6,800 City Property books and 5,900 96-page exercise books, bringing the total number of books donated to 12,700. Pens and pencils were also distributed to learners in the beneficiary schools.
Schools that benefited from the donation on Tuesday include Seseme Integrated Primary School, Kisoro Hill Primary School, Gisoro Primary School and Kisoro Demonstration Primary School, while learners at Centenary Primary School also benefited from the initiative.
Speaking during the donation exercise, Byibesho said the initiative will be conducted annually as part of his commitment to supporting learners and improving access to scholastic materials in Kisoro Municipality.
He said the initiative is also intended to reduce the financial pressure on parents by providing learners with essential scholastic materials.
Byibesho further announced that the initiative will continue next year, when awards will also be given to the best-performing candidates as a way of encouraging academic excellence.
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Meanwhile, Ndagije Paul, the Headteacher of Gisoro Primary School, welcomed the initiative, saying each learner received five books and two pens, among other scholastic materials. He said the donation will help learners improve their academic performance.
Ndagije also called upon parents to give learners adequate time for revision, particularly Primary Seven candidates who are preparing for their Primary Leaving Examinations, and urged them to begin their preparations early.
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Meanwhile, some of the learners who received the scholastic materials expressed happiness and appreciation for the donation.
The learners said they would make maximum use of the books and other materials provided to them. Some also promised to share information about the initiative with their parents and encourage them to support education in their communities.
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Abereho sam wachu