Kabale Preparatory School

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Kabale Preparatory School (KPS) is a government-sponsored day and boarding primary school located on Rugarama Hill, Kabale District, Western Uganda. It lies about 2 km from Kabale Town and 1 km off the Kabale–Kisoro road. As of the early 2010s, the school has an enrollment of more than 500 pupils.

History

Kabale Preparatory School traces its beginnings to the expansion of Christian mission work in the Kigezi sub-region during the early 20th century. The Ruanda Mission, established in 1921 by pioneers such as Dr. and Mrs. Len Sharp, introduced English-language education and laid the groundwork for schools in southwestern Uganda. In its earliest days, instruction was often conducted in modest or improvised spaces, including homes and garages, reflecting the limited facilities available to missionaries at the time.

The school’s foundation was also closely linked to the East African Revival, which reached its Ugandan center in Rugarama, Kabale District during the 1930s. Prominent revivalists such as John Wilson Mutebile (father of economist Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile), Joe Church, and Festo Kivengere promoted a holistic model in which church, school, and health facility worked together to nurture both academic and moral formation.This wider educational and spiritual movement provided the environment in which Kabale Preparatory School was established.

The school itself was formally founded in 1938, beginning with only two pupils — the children of Dr. John Edward (Joe) Church, a missionary doctor and evangelist associated with the Church Missionary Society (CMS). His son, John C.T. Church, later described himself as the school’s “oldest old boy,” noting that Kabale Preparatory was both the brainchild and legacy of his father’s missionary vision.

Initially managed by missionaries of the CMS, the school later transitioned to Ugandan leadership. Its first headmistress, Eileen Faber, served for ten years. By the 1970s, Kabale Preparatory had gained a reputation as one of the top preparatory schools in Uganda, attracting children from prominent families including chiefs, politicians, and government officials. In 1998, Lillian Kigorogoro became the first African headmistress.

Although it was originally a church-run institution, the Ugandan government assumed management in 1967, taking responsibility for some teacher salaries while the school retained its Christian heritage and close association with the Church of Uganda through the Diocese of Kigezi.

Academics and Admission

Kabale Preparatory School admits both day and boarding pupils. The school emphasizes academic performance, with admission typically granted to pupils with strong academic records.

The School maintains a reputation for strong academic performance. Records show that from 1995 onwards, about 90% of Primary Seven candidates passed in Division One of Uganda’s national examinations, consistently ranking the school first or second in Kabale District

The school combines classroom instruction with co-curricular activities. Pupils participate in weekly debates, Scripture Union, science clubs, gardening, music, dance and drama, and health and sanitation programs. The school also organizes exchange examinations with partner schools in Kampala to benchmark performance.

Governance

Although Kabale Preparatory School was founded as a mission school under the Church Missionary Society (CMS), it now operates as a government-sponsored institution under Uganda’s education system. It remains affiliated with the Church of Uganda through the Diocese of Kigezi, which continues to play a role in the school’s spiritual and moral guidance.

Church involvement in staffing and oversight continued beyond the government takeover. In 1988, the Ruanda Mission and the Diocese of Kigezi, with CMS support, advertised internationally for a missionary head teacher, reflecting the school’s continued partnership with church organizations.

Notable Alumni

Those noted here all spent part of their education at Kabale Preparatory School, and are presented using the names under which they achieved public recognition:

• Anna Bitature Mugenyi - Justice of the High Court of Uganda.
• Conrad Nkuutu - Media executive and corporate leader
• David Edward Church – Architect
• Dora Kanabahita Byamukama – Lawyer and former Member of the Parliament of Uganda and the East African Legislative Assembly (2012–2017)
• Dr. Gladys Kalema Zikusoka - Wildlife veterinarian and conservationist.
• Dr. Robin Church - Medical Doctor
• Dr. Twinemanzi Tumubweine – Economist and Executive Director, National Payment Systems Directorate, Bank of Uganda
• Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Chief of Defence Forces of Uganda.
• Hussein Lumumba Amin - Writer and Commentator
• Jaffar Remo Amin - Author and Commentator
• John C.T. Church – Author and contributor to The East African Revival; described himself as the school’s “oldest old boy.”
• Judy Obitre-Gama – Lawyer.
• Judyth Nsababera – Ugandan diplomat and current Consul General in Guangzhou, China
• Prof. James Habyarimana – Distinguished Professor at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy

Recent Developments

In 2023, Kabale Preparatory School received a fully equipped computer laboratory from the MTN Uganda Foundation as part of its Digital Access Program.

The facility included 10 computers, a 24-hour power backup system, and one year of free internet connectivity. The initiative was launched in collaboration with the Diocese of Kigezi and attended by government officials, including the Minister of State for Trade and Cooperatives, David Bahati. It forms part of Uganda’s Vision 2040 digital strategy to expand ICT access to schools and communities.

In February 2024, the school completed a renovation and expansion of its kitchen facilities, funded through alumni contributions. The project was undertaken to improve food preparation and safety standards in response to increased pupil enrolment.

In May 2025, Kabale Preparatory School commissioned the Platinum Jubilee Building, a UGX 1.7 billion facility constructed over a ten-year period as part of the school’s 75th anniversary celebrations. Funded entirely through parental contributions, the building houses classrooms, a library, modern washing rooms, and the ICT lab provided by MTN Uganda. At the commissioning, Bishop Gaddie Akanjuna, Kabale Municipality Senior Inspector of Schools Gloria Asiimwe, and Project Coordinator Felix Basigire all noted the role of parents and administrators in bringing the project to completion.

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