Train Kabaka’s Children in Practical Skills to Preserve Their Heritage

What the report says

Buganda leaders are urging the Buganda Royal Institute of Business and Technical Education to place greater emphasis on practical skills training while also teaching students about their cultural heritage. The call was made during a meeting in Lubaga, Kampala, on Friday, where the new governing council was formally introduced and its role outlined.

Buganda Kingdom’s Minister for Youth and Talent, Robert Sserwanga, said the institute should help young people become self-reliant and better prepared for work, while encouraging them to use their abilities to support development in Uganda rather than seeking opportunities only abroad. He spoke while representing the Minister for Human Development, Choltilda Nakate Kikomeko.

Omutaka Gabuunga Zziikwa Mubiru V, the Jjajja of the Mamba clan, also told tutors to produce graduates who understand their roots, culture and social responsibilities, not only technical subjects. The institute’s head, Joseph Balikuddembe Ssenkusu, briefed the meeting on institutional challenges, including a land dispute that leaders said is before court. The council said it wants to strengthen the institution and maintain quality education as the leadership term runs through 2031.

The broader significance of the discussion is the effort to link vocational education with cultural identity, reflecting a wider debate in Uganda about youth employment, local skills development and preserving traditional values.