Academics applaud Prof Mukiibi for education empire 

Academics and family members, former colleagues and students of late Prof Lawrence Mukiibi have paid tribute to the giant educationist and entrepreneur.

This was at the first Lawrence Mukiibi memorial lecture held at St Lawrence University (SLAU) on February 17, 2023. With theme, ‘Entrepreneurial education: The pathway to sustainable livelihoods’, the function also included launch of a legacy magazine in memory of Mukiibi and a candle lighting ritual; both activities were led by Maria Justine Tulina, the chairperson of the Board of Directors of SLAU.

Peter Ssemakula, resident director at St Lawrence University and son to Mukiibi, said the function also aimed to mark the 30 years of the St Lawrence Academy Schools and Colleges educational brand launched in 1993 when Mukiibi opened his first school close to Kabaka’s lake in Lubaga, Kampala.

Ssemakula said the family has managed to carry forward the legacy of their great father who died in 2017.

“Today we are celebrating 30 years of vivid existence where we take stock of the achievements and challenges that we have gone through. We have remained visionaries in the education sector and we have changed its outlook to look attractive for more players in the market. The traditional setup of schools has changed tremendously, and new schools have come up emulating the example of The St Lawrence brand,” he said.

Ssemakula added, “Prof Lawrence Mukiibi’s story lives on. He was a true educational icon and his dream has sparked the new breed of young people who have emulated his narrative of being outstanding and providing solutions through entrepreneurship; we shall forever remember him.”

TOUCHED, INSPIRED MANY

Dr Charles Masaba, vice chancellor of SLAU, described Mukiibi as a simple and humble man who touched and inspired many people who can’t let his efforts go to waste.

“There is conspicuous physical and technical growth of the institutions Prof Mukiibi started, despite his death some years ago,” he said.

He said the memorial lecture was a turning point of a 10-day Prof Lawrence Mukiibi Memorial Week whose activities included academic exhibitions and entertainment. Some of the activities were outside Mukiibi’s educational institutions because Mukiibi had been a promoter of sports and a philanthropist who helped diverse communities. He said four divisions of Kampala – Kawempe, Lubaga, Makindye and Nakawa – competed for the Prof Mukiibi Memorial Cup in football and netball. Lubaga took the netball cup while Makindye took the football cup.

“Strong institutions are set up by strong people. Memorial lectures are offered to great people, not to everyone,” he said.

February 13 was dedicated to various sports within the St Lawrence institutions while February 14 was occupied by games between management and staff of St Lawrence and the communities. The celebrations will reach climax with the graduation ceremony of SLAU on February 23.

TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION

The keynote lecture speaker was Prof Augustus Nuwagaba, with the topic ‘Understanding transformative education’.

He observed that transformative education is still a paradox to Uganda; Uganda’s education system is a contradiction because it promotes non-transformative values and products, and perpetuates poverty.

All his panel discussants – Prof. Badru Kateregga, Leiticia Nakimuli, Raymond Musiima and Prof. Charles Ssekyewa – agreed with him that Uganda must vocationalise its education system by introducing a ‘dual qualification framework’.

During memory lane speeches, many people parroted Mukiibi’s popular phrases of inspiration and wisdom to colleagues and students.

Some of them were recited as ‘Simplicity magnifies the magnanimity of the soul’, ‘Procrastination is a thief of time’, ‘The sweat of today is the sweet of tomorrow’, ‘Cleanliness is next to godliness’, ‘The world is interested in what you do, not in what you are’, among others.

EDUCATIONAL EMPIRE

Mukiibi’s educational empire comprises six secondary schools, one university and one primary school. The six secondary schools are Creamland Campus, Nabbingo (for A-level only); Horizon Campus, Budo (for girls only); Crown City Campus (specializing in sciences from S1 to S6); London College of St Lawrence; St Lawrence College of Paris Palais (bilingual, English and French); and The Academy of St Lawrence (low-cost option for bright but needy students).

Lorencia Junior School and St Lawrence University complete the set. St Lawrence became such a strong brand that whenever Mukiibi started a new campus – say Creamland or London – many others tried to copy or create a name close to that.

The brand is not only renowned for academic performance, student exchange trips to USA and Europe, and scholarships and car awards to outstanding performers in national exams. For example, information on the website indicates car wards given out: three in 2006; two in 2007; two in 2008; two in 2009; three in 2011; two in 2014; three in 2015; two in 2015; and two in 2019.

Mukiibi was born in 1948 in Masaka district, and later graduated from Makerere University with a degree in education. He taught in and led primary and secondary schools in Uganda and Kenya before launching his St Lawrence brand in 1993.

Many described this man of many honours and awards as a lover of flowers and cleanliness, a man of great discipline, determination, consistency, purposefulness and dedication.