Lufaafa just retired in theory

In February, a renowned educationist in Busoga sub-region, Reuben Lufaafa retired from civil service having served as a secondary school headteacher for 33 years.

People from different walks of life, who included his former students, clergy and parents organised a big send-off for him at Bufulubi Secondary School in Mayuge District to honour him for his contribution towards boosting education standards in the sub-region. The retired Bishop of Busoga Diocese Rt Rev Michael Kyomya and ministers from Busoga Kingdom and other educationists attended the colourful function.

He was also hailed for helping over 1,000 bright but needy students from Busoga to acquire education.

However, during the function, Lufaafa who received prizes, certificates, medals and cows from people to appreciate him revealed that he had only retired from civil service and would start phase two of his teaching career.

“I have retired from government work and now I am going to concentrate on teaching and supervising my two schools,” Lufaafa, who clocked 60 years this month said.

It seems Lufaafa agrees with the saying, ‘retired and not tired’ as many retirees prefer to sit and relax at their homes.

How he started

It is surprising that Lufaafa, a holder of a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and a post graduate diploma in education ended up excelling in a career he disliked  while still in school.

“I did not want to be a teacher. Not because of the little pay they were getting then, but simply because I was an introvert and shy. I could not speak in front of three people so being a teacher who speaks in front of over 50 learners was something I did not want,” Lufaafa says.

Even at Makerere University, Lufaafa who had been admitted on government sponsorship after scoring AAD in History, Economics and Divinity had to change his course from Education to Social Sciences.

However, Lufaafa says his interest in teaching began while a student at Makerere University.

While at university, he says, the need to earn some pocket money forced him to join colleague who were engaged in teaching or coaching students.

“I and my colleagues would in the holidays or weekends go and teach in secondary schools around Kampala to get money that helped us to get basic needs like food, text books, clothes and others. But as time went by I realised I could make a good teacher,” he says.

In 1990, the late Paul Kibuule who was then the Jinja District Education Officer, by chance, found him in Jinja wearing a Makerere University T-shirt.

After greeting and answering some questions about education background, Kibuule tried to persuade him to help start St John SS, Wakitaka in Jinja.

Surprisingly, Lufaafa accepted the challenge.

The school started with seven learners in a classroom at Wakitaka CoU Primary School. He worked without a salary and taught most of the subjects.

The school, which was in its infancy stages closed by school Inspectors for lack of basic needs such as enough qualified staff, classrooms and others, had by 2003 become one of the best secondary schools in the area.

With the school’s meager income, he bought a brand new Isuzu lorry for the school and it subsequently became government-aided.

At the end of his 15 years tenure at the school in 2004, the school had produced one of the best O Level candidates - Michael Kibwika – in the district who got Aggregate 8.

In 2005, he was posted to St Paul SS Mbulamuti in Kamuli District where he served for 15 years.

There were about 300 learners.

“I found the school without a school bus and persuaded government to buy a school bus and truck for the school. I expanded other facilities like library, classrooms, sports ground and science laboratory. By the time I left the school it had become A level school with an enrollment of over 15,00 students with notable academic performance in both UCE and A-level exams in Kamuli District,” Lufaafa says.

In 2020, he was transferred to Bufulubi SS in Mayuge where he was until his retirement.

Dr Frank Nabwiso, the former Kagoma MP described Lufaafa as a selfless and an outstanding head teacher.

Achievements

Lufaafa says his biggest achievement as a teacher is seeing many students who passed through his hands succeed in life.

“I feel I have made my contribution towards the social economic transformation of my people in Busoga. Many of the children I gave bursaries are now doctors, engineers, army officers and many other fields. I will continue helping those in need because I was also helped by a Good Samaritan to complete my education,” Lufaafa says.

He adds that from his savings he built two schools; Good Heart SS and Honest Hill SS both in Jinja District.

It is in these two schools that he plans to settle during his retirement. The schools have a population of 12,000 each.

“I have been a successful teacher wherever I have been and now that I am retired I am going to concentrate on supervising my schools because I am still energetic,” he says

During his 33 year career Lufaafa says he has made many friends and wherever he goes he finds people ready to offer help to him when he needs it.

He is, however, unhappy that despite the effort he has put in to boost education standards in the sub-region, many parents have not yet realized the importance of education.

He says many parents just take their children to school and don’t provide them with the requirements.

“Parents should strive to ensure their children attain education. Without parents investing in their children’s education, this area will lag behind in terms of development” he says.

Regrets

Lufaafa says he trusted too much all the people he worked with not knowing my of them were like Judas.

“The people I trusted ended up eating me up from inside and wanted my downfall. I regret this and I think now I know that what most people look like on the outside is not what they are inside,” he says.

“I named my school Good Heart as a way of telling people to have good hearts,” he says with a smile.

He also regrets spending a lot of time working for government and says it would have been so good if he retired at 50 years to concentrate on running his schools.

But none the less he says he is still energetic and capable of managing them.

Free time

Lufaafa says he is always a busy man and often has no free time.

In his free time, he goes around picking litter at his school.

“Sometimes I watch football on television, especially the Premier League. I am an Arsenal fan. I also occasionally goes to his garden to weed his crops,” Lufaafa notes.