Parental Care Nursery and Primary School Bushenyi has emerged the national champion of the Music, Dance and Drama (MDD) competitions held in Iganga District, after winning seven of the 13 competition items.
The week-long national competitions concluded on Sunday night at Bishop Willis Core Primary Teachers’ College in Iganga under the theme, “A Safe Learning Environment for Social Transformation.”
Parental Care Bushenyi secured the overall title with a score of more than 96 points, finishing ahead of Nakivubo Blue Primary School, Buganda Road, which took second position.
Oasis Primary School from Arua City finished third, followed by St. Julie Primary School-Kibaale, Clevers’ Origin, St. Theresa Namilyango, Namilyango Junior Boys, Mbarara Junior School and Tennessee Valley Primary School.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Dr Florence Isabirye Mulanga, Executive Director of the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID), commended the participating schools, parents and pupils for their commitment to extracurricular activities.
Mulanga said classroom instruction alone is not sufficient for the holistic development of children and welcomed the competition’s focus on creating safe learning environments beyond the classroom.
“The theme to this year’s competition is timely since a safe learning environment is not limited to classrooms,” Mulanga said.
Robert Nikwapu, the Ministry of Education and Sports Assistant Commissioner for Primary Education, also commended the participating schools and organisers for successfully concluding the competition.
Nikwapu said the Ministry remains committed to supporting schools in implementing the new curriculum, which places greater emphasis on practical skills and enabling learners to develop their abilities beyond conventional classroom learning.
He said equipping learners with practical skills could contribute to national development while reducing the number of graduates who struggle to find employment.
Trevor Yebazamukama, Director of Parental Care Nursery and Primary School Bushenyi, attributed the school’s victory to the combined efforts of teachers, parents and pupils.
He said the school’s performances were built around energy, rhythm and storytelling, adding that pupils and teachers put in extensive preparation ahead of the competition.
“The performance had captivated the audience with energy, rhythm and powerful storytelling. The pupils worked hard; we spent days without sleeping, and for the moment, let them enjoy the success,” he said.
The national championship attracted 115 schools and 17,763 participants from various regional clusters across the country.
Participating regions included Omukuri, representing the Greater Bushenyi districts; Orucence, covering Greater Mbarara, Ntungamo and Rwampara; Nankasa; Adungu; Nanga; Nalunfuka; and Luwengere, among others.
The MDD competitions provide learners with a platform to develop and demonstrate abilities in music, dance and drama while promoting creativity, teamwork, confidence and cultural expression.
