Rector’s Newsletter – May 2022

Dear Friends

Greetings from all of us Bishop McAllister College and Anglican Seminary! When we received news that all schools would fully reopen in January 2022, we were excited, but decided that the best approach was cautious optimism. I’m happy to report that as we are well into 2^nd term, things are completely back to normal.  Students of all classes are back! Yay!

Reporting Day

Early January was a busy time, trying to organise the school, call teachers back (some hadn’t taught in two years) and prepare them for what was to come. Workshops were quickly organised as brief refresher courses but also to prepare teachers that there would be a great need for remedial work, and potential discipline issues they might face amongst their students, and how they might address them. We were told to expect a dropout rate of up to 30% due to teen pregnancies, early marriage, work, low morale and loss of interest in pursuing education. The good news is that things went quite smoothly in those early weeks. At Bishop McAllister we experienced a 20% dropout rate, but in some areas it has been as high 50%, all this is pretty much a rural issue where children face greater hardships and challenges. Government officials in those areas were told to go out in their areas and push children back into school. (In other words force parents who have liked having their children dig in the gardens or engage in other petty income generating tasks, to send their children back to school). We continued to experience a few students dropping out, up until the end of first term. As much as we tried to encourage them, they couldn’t either cope with being back in the restrictive environment of a school, or rekindle their interest in getting an education.

Teachers Workshop

First term went very well and we closed smoothly after 14 weeks. The length of the school term has been increased from 12 weeks to 14 weeks, to allow extra time for catching up on missed work. Students were fairly cooperative in those early weeks with wearing masks and following SOP’s.

Student Assembly & Vaccination Clinic

Of course, things have relaxed now in second term, pretty much reflecting society. We have lost the battle when it comes to enforcing mask wearing etc., apart from when someone needs to access the offices. The good news though was that all the older students (18 and above) were fully vaccinated in the first term, and we have been told a campaign will be launched sometime this month for all the other students.

This term has already been busy with the election of student leaders and sports days, so I feel confident enough now to say we are truly back to normal.

Prefectorial Campaigns & Swearing In

We have accomplished some good work on various projects across the campus. School entrance and compound has been completely transformed.

The new Administration Building Annex is now fully complete apart from landscaping (next rainy season). It consists of five sections, (L -R) Rector’s office, Receptionist, Board Room, and Accounts Offices. For the first time in our history this building is equipped with toilet facilities. We are really stepping into the modern world now.

As much as we would have loved us to make further progress on the music department it wasn’t possible. I was reminded of some forgotten areas (out of sight out of mind) where work had begun but then focus shifted to the library project in 2016. All this time the girls in the Seminary (primary section) have been living in the dust of an unfinished dormitory. So, we returned to that project to improve their living conditions. We plastered the walls inside and out, finished the veranda and floors. We also embarked on building them stairs to their main compound, so hopefully they will soon no longer have to use the goat path they made for themselves, winding up the side of the hill.

We also made some progress on one of their classroom blocks that was unfinished reaching the roofing stage on two additional classrooms, staffroom and computer room. Slowly, slowly we continue take steps forward.

Hopefully we will be in a position to resume work on the music department, where are all three main building are ready for roofing.

It is hard to believe how many years have passed, and how quickly they passed. I have now entered my 25^thyear here at Bishop McAllister College. It has been a rich and rewarding ministry, that I’m so very thankful to have been called to be a part of it. God’s grace has been with us through out and I’m so grateful for that, and for how He has worked through all of you to make this ministry possible. The school has truly blossomed and it wouldn’t have been possible without your financial support and countless prayers. But most importantly I thank you for your support of the student sponsorship program, so many young lives have been changed and opportunities given as a result. I know the past couple of years may have been discouraging, with the closures, and students abandoning their studies, as well the tough conditions many of you also faced. Thank you so much for sticking with us, and continuing with your support of this important program.

Lastly thank you so much for your support of myself. You have been with me throughout, and I can’t thank you enough. Pray for me as I take these next few months and think about my future.

I pray that God will continue to bless you and keep you, now and always!

“To God be the Glory!”

God Bless!

Paul

Rectors Newsletter – November 10th, 2021

Dear Friends,

As I wrote back in February things were going well, slowly beginning to normalize. Senior students at each level were preparing for national exam, and other classes were studying at various intervals. The plan was to have the normal school year back in place within two years. We were feeling pretty optimistic, despite what was going in the rest of the world.

The Library compound was finished. Some of you may have been left wondering what we would do with the large hole in front of the library. Even I was left wondering for a long period of time. Then it became obvious to me. It would become an outdoor auditorium.

Before….

We were blessed in early March with an informal visit by Rt. Rev. Johnson Twinomujuni who came to check on the school and to encourage us in these difficult times.

A highlight and a moment of personal encouragement for me was when I was recognized for my years of service by the Diocese of Ankole in late May. It was a tremendous honor and I continue to be so grateful that God has called me to serve in this particular part of his vineyard, and for his abundant grace and blessings for the past 23 years.

The good news is that in those first months of 2021 all the finalists successfully completed their examinations, and are now preparing for their next level of studies. The bad news is that a second wave of covid hit us in May, and in early June the President put the country under full lockdown. Once again, we were to stay in our homes apart from getting necessities, but the use of cars and other forms of passenger transport were banned. The good news is that the lockdown worked, and restrictions were partially lifted. Curfew of 7 pm remained, and churches and schools remained closed. Churches were eventually allowed to reopen at the end of September and universities as of November 1^st.

The availability of vaccines in Uganda is improving slowly slowly. The government is optimistic that they well have as many as 12 million doses by December. The actual process of vaccination was problematic for a while, but there has been much improvement and there have been an increasing number of mass vaccination exercises.

So, what does the future hold for primary and secondary schools. A few days back, the President announced that everything including schools would open up fully in January. News that we were happy to receive. Previously there were conditions set that had to be met before this could happen. One is that 5 million people must be fully vaccinated. This group are the vulnerable, those over 60, the vulnerable etc. (Those over 65 years of ag comprise just under 2% of the total population). Secondly that all teachers, staff and students over 18 are fully vaccinated. A big task but I’m becoming optimistic. About 3.5 million doses have been administered so far. The argument behind the decision not to open the schools is that the children will catch covid and spread it to the unvaccinated adults in their families, potentially creating another generation of orphans as AIDs did previously.

We are now beginning to prepare the school for reopening in 6 weeks’ time, although we have yet to be told the specifics of how it will happen. Theological studies have already resumed this past week. So, there are signs of normalcy returning at the school.

Despite all of the hardships we were able to make good progress on some of the school projects before we were closed again. We were able to reach the roofing stage on all three of the music buildings, with the concrete also be poured in the choral rehearsal room, as well construct a new administration building to keep up with our growth these past twenty plus years. We were very pleased to complete the first phase of construction including roofing.

Left (Music, Dance & Drama/Band; Center (Electronic Keyboard Lab); Right (Choral Rehearsal Room)

New Administration Block

While 2021 was not the year we anticipated, and that it brought further difficulties for the school, our staff, and students, we have much to be thankful for just the same. Because of the tremendous support we received in 2020 – 2021 the school continues to be in great shape and we will be able to reopen in the coming months with minimal difficulties. We are grateful to have been able to celebrate with Rev. Joseph Tusinguire, our student for 6 years, and now Chaplain, Teacher, and Coordinator of Theology program, as he wed Praise. We congratulate Joseph and Praise and wish them all the best in their new life together.

On this happy note let me close. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate everyones support for so many years, and particularly in this difficult period. With your help we are truly making a difference. May God continue to bless and keep you!

Paul

Rev. Canon Paul Jeffries

Rector

Bishop McAllister College & Bishop McAllister Anglican Seminary

“To God be the Glory”