Lubonge puts Kakira on academic map
Marvin Lubonge, who scored 19 points in BCM/SM at Kakira Sugar Limited-owned Kakira Secondary School. PHOTO/ JACOBS SEAMAN ODONGO
Marvin Lubonge did not want to live in a fantasy. Where most students fill the public universities and tertiary institutions (Pujab) admission forms with lofty course choices, he lowered his expectation.
“I had messed up in biology,” Lubonge said, explaining why he had chosen human medicine at Gulu University as his first choice.
The mess was not that costly. With A in chemistry and mathematics, the B in biology is one he still rues but in Kakira, the 19-year-old has made academic history.
With 19 points in the recently released Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams, Lubonge, who studied at Kakira Sugar Limited-owned Kakira Secondary School, became the best ever candidate in Sciences.
His was the second-best performance in Jinja City and district from the Sciences after Abby Mulumba’s clean slate in PCB from Jinja Progressive Academy.
The third born of four children of Mr Sam Isejja, a plantation supervisor in Kakira, and Ms Faridah Musubika, a nurse, had suddenly been consumed by his love for sports in the final year of his A-Level studies.
“I used to play football but it was too demanding on my academic endeavours so I left it,” Lubonge said.
At the school, few had seen his sporting talent and given he was into Sciences, it was not expected that he would be consumed by sports.
But Mr Ratib Ofuti, the sports science teacher, charmed Lubonge. Soon the star student from O-Level a year earlier in the Covid-disrupted Uganda Certificate of Education exams who had topped the school with 13 points was dipping handball and tipping balls in men’s netball.
The school played handball up to national level in Lira. Lubonge was among the star players who would spend a month at the district level and weeks at the nationals.
“Biology has a very wide syllabus and the practical paper was in its own league so it didn’t quite work out well but God was in control for me,” says the student, who says human medicine would get him closer to his passion of helping give those who are sick.
