Dear esteemed readers and friends of BHIKU,
Greetings from Uganda and from St. Patrick School.
It’s time for another issue of the newsletter and I am happy to update you about our school as follows.
We have been preparing to end term two of the 2026 academic year. We started the term on May 23, and had Visitation Day for the parents on July 4. The term ended on August 18.
Term 3 will start on September 12 and conclude on December 2. However, the P7 students will take their end of year national assessment exams (PLEs) in early November. The date has not yet been announced by the Ministry of Education.
The students have been so excited about the ongoing water tower project as is highlighted in this newsletter.
Student to teacher ratios were reduced in grades P1 through P5, which were divided into three streams this year. Their learning outcomes are looking even better.
As we get closer to the end of the school year, sponsored students are looking forward to getting (monetary) Christmas gifts before they go home after Term 3. We thank the sponsors who always put a smile on the students’ faces when these gifts come.
I had planned to visit USA from 19th August to the end of September 2026, but regrettably am unable to come. The USA government put a ban on issuing visas because of the recent Ebola outbreak in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and there were two cases in Uganda, of DRC nationals who had visited. The World Health Organization declared Uganda Ebola-free about two weeks ago since it had been over 42 days since the last case, but the US embassy in Uganda is still not issuing visas. (If I am able to get a visa in 2027, I will come to the US then.)
WE THANK GOD THAT OUR SCHOOL WAS NEVER AFFECTED BY THE EBOLA OUTBREAK.
When I see our children grow in age and advance in their studies (our pioneers will be completing high school at the end of 2027), I can only say “THANK YOU GOD FOR TOUCHING THE LIVES OF THESE CHILDREN THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY OF SUPPORTERS.”
Thank you all for the incredible support. You are always in our prayers.
Rev. Fr. Julius Turyatoranwa (PhD), Founder BHIKU.