Uganda School Awarded World’s Best School Prize

The headteacher of a Ugandan school which is among the winners of the World’s Best School prize for overcoming adversity has told the BBC the award made the school feel “proud and humbled”.

“We are really over the moon and we feel so incredibly proud and humbled to be one of the winners,” said Odong Charles Kigundi.

Wakadogo school in northern Uganda was established in 2005 to help children affected by the 21-year civil war in the region.

“We have a very big commitment to provide free school meals, healthcare and quality education for the surrounding community and this school has become the second home for many children in this part of Uganda,” Mr Kigundi told the BBC’s Focus on Africa radio programme.

Wakadogo will receive $50,000 (£44,000).

“We are going to invest it towards computer literacy and education technology. Because we have seen the need in this area, where many people do not know how to use computers or many people cannot do online learning,” Mr Kigundi said.

Head girl Martha Kukunda praised the school for its “friendly learning environment”. She said her dream is to become a doctor so that she can “save thousands of lives”.

The World’s Best School prizes are awarded by education charity T4 and are given to five schools to help them strengthen their school and community.