CNOOC awards Shs49m to best performing students in Bunyoro

CNOOC Uganda Ltd, a licensed oil and gas company operating in Bunyoro Sub-region has awarded Shs49.5m to 180 students that excelled in the 2020 national examinations from districts of Hoima and Kikuube.

The best performers in Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) were given cash rewards and certificates under CNOOC Uganda’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program code-named “CNOOC Best Performer’s Award”.

The CNOOC Best Performers Award was inaugurated in 2012, aimed at encouraging better performance from students in the mid-western Uganda. 

‘‘To date, the Program has rewarded 750 students and this year, 180 more students will be rewarded which will bring the cumulative total of beneficiaries to 930 at PLE, UCE and UACE levels,’’ Mr Xin Zhang, the CNOOC Uganda Corporate Affairs advisor informed.

‘‘Awarding the students is a move to motivate them particularly those below and getting to the candidate classes and this indirectly contributes to improved performance of students, Zhang said during the award ceremony held Friday at Kikuube District headquarters.

“Bunyoro Sub-region is currently experiencing rapid development and CNOOC Uganda believes that the better the youth are prepared and the education sector transformed, the more the residents shall benefit from the oil industry,” Ms Aminah Bukenya, CNOOC Uganda’s Media and Publicity Manager said.

The best performing pupils and students were selected by the office of the Education Officers, Hoima city and Kikuube and Hoima Districts based on the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) results.

“CNOOC Uganda shall continue awarding the best performers to reaffirm its willingness to be good neighbours with communities in the area of operation and to achieve a win-win situation with its stakeholders,” Bukenya said.

The ceremony was presided by the Kikuube District Vice Chairperson, Mr Vincent Opio, who requested CNOOC Uganda and other development partners to give more support to the district’s education sector.

“We still have pupils and students traveling over six kilometres to access school. Some schools lack adequate structures, teachers and sanitary facilities. Our education sector needs affirmative support,” he said.

The Hoima District Education Officer (DEO), Mr Godfrey Sserwanja stated that: ‘‘The awards have enabled schools to perform better at all the three levels compared to previous years before the awards.’’

He revealed a 400% improvement in grades of students in Hoima District since the launch of the Best Performers Awards Program that can be attributed to these motivational awards.

Background

CNOOC Uganda is a subsidiary of CNOOC Limited which is one of China’s largest producers of offshore crude oil and natural gas. Furthermore,  the firm is one of the world’s largest independent oil and gas exploration and production companies.

CNOOC Uganda was granted an oil production license in September 2013 for the Kingfisher oil field which is located in Buhuka Parish, Kyangwali Sub-county in Kikuube District.

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