Mother of four retakes UCE exams after 14-year Dropout

Rukiga Districtt | THE BLACK EXAMINER |Enid Abampire Niwabiine, a 33-year-old resident of Mukishenyi Village, Ibumba Parish, Rwamucucu SubCounty in Rukiga District, took her Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams today. She is married to Wilber Niwabiine and has four children. After a 14-year hiatus from school, she joined senior four at Kihanga Secondary School in Rukiga District this year.

Abampire had to leave school in 2008 during her Senior three due to financial constraints following her father’s death, and she subsequently got married. Her decision to return to school was motivated by the missed opportunities that required an S. 4 certificate, as well as her passion for learning.

Her educational journey this year has been challenging as she juggles her responsibilities at home, including taking care of her children and husband, and working to cover school fees for both herself and her children. Additionally, studying alongside younger classmates has posed its own set of challenges.

Enid Abampire is not the only adult learner at Kihanga Secondary School. Tumushabe Alex Bruce, a 32-year-old lay leader at Ibugwe Church of Uganda in Ibumba Parish, also sat for his UCE exams this year. He returned to complete Senior four after an interruption in 2011, driven by his passion for studying theology.

Onesmus Rukundo, the head teacher of Kihanga Secondary School and the UCE Chief supervisor in Rukiga District, reported that out of the school’s 150 students, 149 appeared for the first paper. Two of the students are married, two are divorced, and one is a single mother, all determined to complete their exams today.

Rukundo also noted that there was a delay in exam distribution across the district due to heavy rainfall. Today, over 345,945 students took the Uganda Certificate Examinations (UCE).