HISTORY

                         HISTORY AND BACKGROUND                                                                                                                              

Kisoko Boys’ Primary School, Kisoko Girls’ Primary School and Kisoko High School

(Kisoko Schools)

History & Background

The name Kisoko originated from the smallest administrative unit of a Sub County called Kisoko in the local language. The then Parish Chief, Mr. Ayese Keita was the first Parish Chief who built Kisoko Parish headquarters on the hill. Kisoko hill was originally inhabited by Iteso tribe belonging to the Raraka Clan. However, today, it is being occupied by the Japadhola of Bendo and Koi Clans.

The birth of Kisoko Schools                                                                                                                

The present day St. Paul's Church Kisoko was first started in a grass thatched building under a big Makuyu tree near the late Mwanika Osolo’s home. Later in 1927, when the missionaries asked the then Parish Chief, Blasio Agware Wasenda (RIP) for a suitable site to construct a church, he (Blasio) showed them the present site. Construction of the church building like all other churches within the region, was jointly carried out by the local population under the leadership of the Chiefs. In this case, all the able bodied Japadholas, irrespective of religious affiliations, participated in the construction of the church. The late Blasio Wasenda, the reigning Chief then, mobilized the people to construct the church in the same way the people were mobilized to maintain village roads under the theme bero mapiny that literally means “community good.” At that time, all churches were initiated by the chiefs as places of worship for the communities. Construction works of St. Paul’s Church Kisoko commenced in 1930 and it was completed in 1933. However, way back in 1926, the late Peter Otwani had started a simple school within the then church premises for teaching religion. This school later transformed to the present day Kisoko Schools.

How it happened

Reverend Rampley Messers, a white Anglican Missionary arrived in Kisoko in 1927. Rev. Rampley was in charge of schools and churches within the Church of Uganda deanery, which then comprised of West Budama, Samia, Kwapa and Bunyole. By the end of 1926, the school that Peter Otwani pioneered for teaching religion, was converted into a Sub Grade school. The then Lay Reader, Obadia Owor, was made its headmaster. In 1934, Reverend Rampley took over administration of the Sub Grade school on behalf of Church of Uganda. The name became Kisoko School providing primary education opportunities to both boys and girls.

In 1938, the government took over Kisoko School with Zephaniah Ochieng becoming its first African headmaster. In 1939, it was thought that a separate school for girls ought to be opened. Within a short time after the girls’ school commenced operations, there was a proposal to open another school for boys. This was done in 1940 with Paineto Othieno as the first headmaster of Kisoko Boys’ Primary School. However, in the same year, Zephaniah Ochieng took over from Paineto as the primary school’s second headmaster. Zephaniah was a product of Budo Secondary School, which was by then the cream of education in Uganda. 

On the other hand, in 1940, Madam Dina Najeko became the first headmistress of Kisoko Girls’ Primary School after separating Kisoko Boys’ from it. However, the two schools remained under the same Management Committee till the year 2001, when the management committees of the schools were separated under Madam Owere Odumo as Kisoko Girls’ Primary School Headmistress.

After nearly ten years of operation, by 1950, there was growing demand from the local communities for a junior school in West Budama. This was purposely to absorb products of Kisoko primary schools and other denominational schools that had sprung up throughout West Budama. The then junior schools in Budaka and Kamuge could not easily be accessed by the West Budama primary school products.

Following this demand, in 1953, Kisoko Junior School (KJS) was established within the premises of present day Kisoko Boys’ Primary School. The first teacher was Francis Banana from Bugisu who served for only two (2) years before being transferred to Muyembe Senior Secondary School in Bugisu. Muyembe SS was also a new school. Francis Banana was replaced by Tom Mugoya who was from Lango. Initially, classes were conducted on the veranda of the dormitory. However, when Tom Mugoya took over the junior school as headmaster, he reiterated to parents and education administrators that he was not prepared to conduct classes from the veranda.

As a result of his tough stand, the junior school was moved to the large hall in one of the school buildings. The following year in 1954, the school had Junior 1 and Junior 2. Junior 2 remained in the same large hall. Junior 1 was moved to the primary three classroom that was then attached to the Headmaster’s office. During the same year, construction of classroom blocks, boys’ dormitories, offices and teachers’ quarters commenced on the site where the present day Kisoko High School stands. The construction was completed in 1955 when the Junior School relocated from Kisoko Boys’ Primary School to the new premises. Mr. Mugoya went down with the school but within the same year, he left on appointment to start another junior school in Kachonga to absorb students from other parts of Bukedi. During the years 1958/59, Kisoko Boys’ Primary School managed to send some boys such as Adhola Yoga to Kachonga Junior School after their primary six.  The Headmaster then was Gideon Owor (RIP).

Initially, admission of students to KJS considered learners from Bukedi, Bugisu, North Busoga and Samia Bugwe. Later, students came from other parts of Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan. Pioneer students of Kisoko Junior School among others, were Yokonani Yosia Ongango, Asaph Onyango, Akisoferi Ogola (RIP) and Dunstan Opino who later became national figures in the civil service.

Junior three was phased out in 1957 leaving only juniors one and two. During the period of its existence, academic performance of KJS was rated among the best in the country. This attracted learners from all other regions of Uganda. For example, Yorokamu Wambewo from Bugisu, Tera Mutoni from Bunyole, Zebuloni Wanyama from Busia and Akisoferi Ogola from West Budama were among the outstanding civil servants who had their junior education from Kisoko Junior School. During the 1960s, KJS was converted into a boarding primary School after junior education was phased out of Uganda’s Educational system. Its name was Kisoko Boarding Primary School (KBS) that had only primary six and seven. Later in 1981, KBS transformed to the present day Kisoko High School.

A tracer study conducted through face to face and telephone interviews with elders and people close to Kisoko Schools identifies current and former outstanding personalities in church, civil service and business as old boys and girls of Kisoko Schools. Prominent personalities who passed through Kisoko Schools and currently serving the nation in various capacities are: Martin Okoth Ochola, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Fred Odoi Tanga, Chairman National Resistance Electoral Commission, Ofwono Opondo,the Executive Director Media Centre and Wilson Owere, the Chairman General National Organization of Trade Union (NOTU). Others include: Rotarian Sam Owori (RIP), Hon. Aksoferi Ogola (RIP) and pioneer students of Kisoko Junior.