Mengo School Anthem on Mount Gaustatoppen

“The mountain top is extremely cold. I couldn’t feel my toes and finger tips. I was scared and nervous going up the mountain through a tunnel. When we sang our school anthem at the mountain top, and people applauded and clapped, I felt really happy and accepted.” 

Mengo School trust in God

From whom you get wisdom

We shall overcome, let’s co-operate

Hard work does break no bone.

Challenging stereotypes on student exchanges

“I thought the Norwegian students were not social. I used to think of them as proud and arrogant as I heard from various stories. I now realise that they are friendly people who share the same fears and dreams as we do” Ugandan student
“This project gave me a chance to enlighten the world about my country, my culture and beliefs. Many times, people have a wrong picture about us and this visit enabled me correct that. It also made me appreciate more my culture, and to have respect for other people’s culture” Ugandan student

A history lesson in a Norwegian class

My best experience today was the History lesson with Tom, a Norwegian teacher, and Linda from S5 Mengo Senior School. It was a chance for me to explain to the Norwegian Students that there was another side to Idi Amin. He was a dictator but also did some good things for Uganda.
Before going to Norway , I had always wondered why we were studying about Napoleon, a General in a foreign land. I was struck when we went to class in Norway and they were discussing the history and presidents of Uganda.                                                   Mengo Student Dennis David Kazibwe

Emphasizing employment oriented education

This term students at St. Joseph’s have been doing various work outside of school: construction work (building a house) and a biogas digester. The students have been taken out eight at the time, with two teachers. The number is limited to eight because of lack of transport means. They are picked out not based on marks but on interest and willingness to work.

The project is popular among the students, and to ensure that as many as possible is given the opportunity the group is changed every day. The teachers guide and work alongside the students. Both students and teachers are positive that this is a great learning experience, building confidence and giving the students a feeling of what it will be like in the real world after they finish school.
Former Fk-participants, Charles Kalema, John Wasswa and Daniel Kasozi together with colleagues in St.Joseph are trying to implement some of their experiences from Norway in their work on VET in Uganda.

Kyambogo University Lecturers visit Rjukan videregående skole

Last week Rjukan videregående skole (High School) received unusual visitors, when it received two lecturers from Kyambogo University in Uganda. The two lecturers came on a study tour of the education system in Norway. The two, David and Gertrude spent a whole week interacting with both students and teachers, plus sitting in lessons to try to compare the system of education in Norway and that of Uganda.

When asked, Gertrude discovered that the system of education in Norway was more practical than theoretical, whereas that of Uganda was more theoretical than practical, a thing which she said, should be changed. She however noted that, unlike the students in Uganda, the students in Norway have a low level of motivation in academics. David on the other hand, who had the opportunity to work with the vocational students outside, was impressed by the quality of work the students in the construction department were doing. He said when he goes back to Uganda, he will advocate for this pedagogical kind of education.
At the end of the visit the coordinators, Ingrid Kjelsnes and Tom Nilsen urged the visitors to try and implement some of the good things they had learnt from the Norwegian system back home in Uganda.
                                                                                                                      … By Bernard Butare.

Gründercamp at Rjukan videregående skole

Gratulerer Rjukan High School! By Bernard Butare

Students of Rjukan High school have continued to excel in different aspects in both academics and vocational studies. This time around they were among the finalists and actually went ahead to be among the best in a competitive exhibition that involved many schools in Telemark county.
The colourful function took place last Wednesday 11th Nov, 2010, here in the People’s community hall in Rjukan town.

The function attracted so many people especially students from different schools around Rjukan and their parents plus some other invited guests. The evening was punctuated with a lot fun, with music from talented young people and a lot of eats and drinks.
Students exhibited so many things from the latest use of technology and architectural designs.
Here at Rjukan High school, we would like to congratulate our students of 1ST who made us proud!