Members of the Church of Uganda Heads of Education Institution Association (COUHEIA) have today elected new leadership.
The election has seen Mengo Senior Secondary School headteacher, Grace Nantagya Ssebanakitta take over the COUHEIA leadership from Ndejje Senior School’s headteacer, Dr. Canon Charles Kahigiriza.
Despite his tremendous and fruitful leadership, Dr. Kahigiriza did not ask for a new term given his age as he is about to retire from the civil service.
The election took place at the end of the two-day COUHEIA’s annual retreat 2023, held at Uganda Christian University on Friday. The retreat ran on a theme: “United for service and growth.”
Nantagya is deputised by Eunice Byomuhangi as his first vice chairperson and second, Saul Ssekanjako. The secretary general is Ham Ahimbisibwe, Levi Abwongi the vice secretary general, Cicilia Amanya the Treasurer and the publicity secretary, Stanley Mugume.
Sarah Sserunjogi is the private institutions representative; Samuel Kabonge is the regional representative for central region, Beatrice Katabi for Eastern region, Acla Lucy for Northern region and Ronald Nuwamanya Western region.
Nantagya says part of his responsibility is to make sure that he leads his fellow COUHEIA members, build togetherness amongst them, improve the quality of Church of Uganda education institutions and their education performance.
As he prepares to carry on a four-year term of leadership, Nantagya has appreciated his predecessor for having brought together the members saying because of their endless efforts, they increased the members into the association citing this year’s retreat which has gathered more than 400 members.
“I am going to embark on tangible association property starting with the COUHEIA leadership centre which will be responsible for mentoring young headteachers into better leaders willing to take over from the prominent headteachers who are soon retiring,” he said.
“We should stop struggling to look for able headteachers when the time for some of our giant headteachers comes. We must be with a number of good mentored headteachers where the Church leaders can easily select from,” he stressed.
Dr. Canon Paul Kakooza, the Provincial Education Director has commended Dr Kahigiriza and his team for having been a fruitful team of leaders.
The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Dr. Stephen Kazimba Mugalu has commended the outgoing leadership for the tremendous work and tasked the incoming leaders to do even better than their predecessors.
The State Minister for State in the Office of the Vice President, Diana Mutasingwa has graced the occasion standing in for the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa.
Mutasingwa has acknowledged the Church of Uganda for its pivotal role as far as boosting the education of Uganda as one of the leading foundation bodies of most of the government schools at both primary and secondary levels.
