Church of Uganda has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the African Children’s Educational Initiative Inc. (ACEII), a U.S.-based non-profit organisation, to improve literacy education in Church-founded schools across the country.
The MoU was today signed by Rev. Canon William Ongeng, the Provincial Secretary of Church of Uganda, and James Rodger Qualls, representing ACEII, at the Provincial Secretariat in Namirembe, Kampala.
Under the three-year partnership, ACEII will support Church of Uganda with high-quality literacy materials and educational resources to strengthen reading culture and academic performance in schools.
The initial phase of the partnership will focus on schools located in Luweero, Nakasongola, and Nakaseke Districts, forming Luwero Diocese.
According to the MoU, ACEII will provide literacy-level-appropriate reading books, dictionaries, reference materials, and teacher resources.
The organisation will also offer workshops and training sessions to promote literacy awareness among educators and school administrators.
Rev. Canon Ongeng welcomed the partnership and urged beneficiary schools and communities to prepare the recipients not only to benefit from the support but also to develop a sense of responsibility toward others.
He also echoed the call by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, The Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, to support the empowerment of the boy child.
“Our focus has largely been on empowering the girl child, often at the expense of the boy child. This imbalance contributes to gender-based violence. The Archbishop has been asking us a critical question: ‘Who will marry these well-brought-up girls if the boys are left behind?” Rev Canon Ongeng asked.
Qualls reaffirmed that ACEII remains committed to supporting education systems in Africa through partnerships that are community-led, holistic, and values-driven.
Also in attendance were Levi Kisakye, Church of Uganda’s Program Officer for Drug Prevention, and Gorret Kyamazima from Walter Secondary School, Bukusu—one of the beneficiary schools.