KCCA’S BUZEKI LEADS DEAR WEEK CLIMAX, CALLS FOR STRONGER LITERACY EFFORTS

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki on Thursday, Sharifah Buzeki on Thursday led the climax of Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Week, urging sustained investment in literacy to empower young learners across the city.

The event, held at the Mayor’s Parlor under the theme “Creating Hope Through Reading,” brought together City Hall officials, teachers and learners from schools across Kampala, marking the peak of a week-long initiative by the KCCA.

Buzeki said the authority expanded the DEAR Day into a full week to maximize impact, noting that all 79 KCCA public schools actively participated through structured reading sessions, mentorship visits and book donations.

“We decided to expand DEAR Day into a week to reach more learners and strengthen literacy efforts,” Buzeki said. “This initiative allowed our mentors to directly engage with schools and better understand the challenges they face, even as they continue to educate children under difficult circumstances.”

KCCA officials were assigned as mentors to individual schools, where they read with learners and supported library development. Buzeki visited Nakasero Primary School, where she read to pupils and donated books to enhance the school’s library.

She commended the Lord Mayor for participating in reading activities at Kitante Primary School, emphasizing the importance of leadership in promoting a reading culture.

 “We must ensure that every school has a functional library,” Buzeki said. “This requires engaging parents in literacy programs and strengthening the capacity of teachers in both reading and ICT.”

She also recognized contributions from partners, including TAMU Toto Uganda, which donated books worth UGX1 million.

 “We have a responsibility to ensure that the children we read to today become even better than us,” she said.

Charles Maginot the Director Education and Social Service said the DEAR Week activities were implemented across all KCCA schools, with directorates deploying mentors to inspire learners.

“Through reading, we not only gain knowledge but also reduce stress, it is a powerful tool for personal development.” Maginot said.

He noted that while Uganda’s literacy rate stands at about 74 percent, an estimated 11.8 million people remain unable to read and write, underscoring the need for sustained interventions.

As part of the initiative, Maginot said KCCA procured 1,000 instructional materials for distribution to schools to further support literacy programs.

KCCA oversees a total of 2,335 schools in the city, including 79 public institutions, positioning the authority at the center of efforts to improve education outcomes in the capital.

By Geofrey Mutegeki Araali

Communication and Media Relations Officer