Mayiga Urges Parents to Prioritise Children’s Literacy

What the report says

Buganda Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga has urged parents to make reading a priority for children, saying it is central to building literacy and strong writing skills. According to Nile Post, he delivered the message through the Buganda Kingdom’s Minister of Education, Choltilda Nakate Kikomeko, at the 14th Enjuba National Spelling Bee held at Serena Hotel in Kampala.

The event brought together education stakeholders to discuss reading, spelling and language development in early learning. Mayiga’s remarks framed reading as a foundation for learning, while the gathering also highlighted broader concerns about how children are taught.

Dr Saphinah Mutumba, a commissioner in the Ministry of Education, called for more emphasis on indigenous languages in the early stages of schooling. She said using children’s mother tongues can support learning and strengthen language development. The article presents this as part of a wider push among education leaders to improve outcomes by reinforcing literacy skills from the start of a child’s education.

More broadly, the report reflects an ongoing debate in Uganda and elsewhere about the balance between early literacy in English and the use of local languages in classrooms. The spelling bee provided a public platform for that discussion, alongside advocacy for stronger reading habits at home and school.