Commissioner Seku Urges Students to Shun Premarital Sexual Practices

By Amon Muhumuza

Rubaare, Ntungamo

The Commissioner for the National Secretariat for Patriotism, Ms. Hellen Seku, has called on students across Uganda to avoid engaging in premarital sexual practices while still in school. She emphasized that such behavior could have long-lasting consequences on their lives, potentially derailing their future prospects.

On Saturday, September 28th, 2024, during a ceremony to pass out 927 Patriots at Rubaare Secondary School in Ntungamo District, Ms. Seku made these remarks. The event was part of the ongoing patriotism training program, a national initiative launched in 2009 by President Yoweri Museveni to instill patriotic values and a sense of national duty among students and the youth in Uganda.

“The youth must avoid immoral activities that could ruin their lives and destroy their future. Focus on your education and build your character,” Ms. Seku advised the students.

She also highlighted that the patriotism initiative would eventually expand beyond schools and youth groups to include formal government sectors. “This strategy is aimed at instilling the spirit of nationalism and patriotism among all Ugandans, ensuring a strong and united country,” she said.

During the event, Rubaare Secondary School’s Chairman of the Board of Governors, Rev. Venerable Yoram Akoragye, requested Ms. Seku to deliver a message to the President about the school's dire need for transportation. He noted that the school’s only truck had been grounded, overgrown with bushes, and had deflated tires. He appealed for support to either repair the vehicle or replace it with a 78-seater bus to ease transportation challenges.

In addition, the school's headteacher, Ms. Monic Mpeirwe Atukunda, appealed to the government for financial assistance to improve infrastructure, citing the overwhelming enrollment numbers that were straining the school’s capacity to provide adequate learning facilities.

Ms. Seku pledged to forward their concerns to the Ministry of Education and Sports as well as the Office of the President.

In a related development, Ntungamo Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr. Isaiah Byarugaba Kanyamahane, issued a stern warning to headteachers who oppose the patriotism training program. He stated that headteachers who hinder the initiative would face serious consequences.

“Headteachers, these students are not just your responsibility but the nation’s. Anyone opposing the President's initiative to train students in patriotism will be held accountable and arrested,” the RDC warned.

The patriotism program continues to be a key component in the government’s efforts to nurture responsible citizens and promote national unity among Uganda’s youth.

END