The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has commissioned Ruhengyere Army Primary School in Kiruhura District to improve soldier welfare and strengthen community relations.
The newly constructed campus is located in Kayonza Parish, Kikatsi Sub-county, Nyabushozi County.
The institution operates under the Special Forces Command (SFC) to bring vital educational services closer to military families and residents.
The Joint Staff for Formal Education, Sports and Culture-UPDF, Brig Gen. Richard Karemire, presided over the official commissioning ceremony.
Brig Gen. Karemire commended the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, for prioritizing the families of frontline troops.
“The construction of this entire school campus would not have been possible without the support of our CDF, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who has consistently emphasized the welfare of soldiers and their families, including supporting education initiatives,” Brig Gen. Karemire said.
The general also applauded the SFC leadership for allocating substantial resources toward infrastructural development in military schools.
The UPDF has established 53 educational institutions nationwide to provide quality learning for children of personnel.
This educational network enables military parents to concentrate fully on their core mandate of defending the country.
The school heavily serves the civilian population, with neighborhood pupils currently outnumbering the children of soldiers.
“That is not a problem because, ultimately, we are educating Ugandans,” Brig Gen. Karemire noted.
The upgrade signals a broader commitment by the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs to eliminate structural shortages and instructional material gaps across army schools.
The army will continue partnering with the Ministry of Education and Sports to systematically improve learning conditions.
The Chairperson of the School Management Committee and Commander of the Commando Brigade, Col. CK Masembe, noted that the school emerged from humble beginnings.
Maj. (Rtd) Julius Bamanya established the school in 2022 when he served as the PC 2IDTS.
The institution initially operated from a cookhouse, makeshift structures, and under tree shades before the UPDF Directorate of Formal Education, Sports and Culture assumed official management in 2023.
The Chief of Joint Staff later directed the SFC leadership to secure the current site for permanent construction.
The school head teacher, Warrant Officer Class Two (WOII) Lubyayi, reported that construction began in December 2025 and concluded in January 2026.
The modern campus now features an administration block and three classroom blocks housing seven classrooms.
WOII Lubyayi praised the academic progress of the school, highlighting its recent success in national assessments.
The school registered seven candidates for the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) last year, with two registering First Grade and five obtaining Second Grade scores.
The campus currently prepares ten Primary Seven candidates for the upcoming national examinations.
The Director of Education, Sports and Culture in the SFC, Col. Gilbert Owamagyezi, and the Commander of 3 Domisha Brigade, Lt Col. Gabriel Lomongin, attended the deployment ceremony alongside local political leaders and parents.
