Agnes Nantume Nsubuga has turned St. Joseph’s SSS Naggalama into a first class, modern school with state of the art infrastructure, that she has embarked on and accomplished over the years. In January 2003, after seven years of serving in Namugongo, Nsubuga joined St.Joseph’s SS Naggalama as the headteacher, enabling her to bring her unique leadership and management style to the fore.
According to Vinicious Amone, the deputy head teacher, at the time Nsubuga joined Naggalama, it was an average school with little to write about. “She is fully behind the St. Joseph’s SS Naggalama that the world knows now. She has turned it into a first class modern school with state of the art infrastructure, that she has embarked on and accomplished over the years,” says Amone. Adding that transformation has been achieved as a result of Nsubuga’s emphasis on the development of the school in all its domains, that is, academic performance, human formation, discipline, curricular, and physical infrastructure.
During her reign, Nsubuga has set up a three storied administration block, two boys dormitories, a girls’ dormitory, 17 self-contained teachers’ houses, three basket ball courts, a standard football pitch, and a multipurpose hall. She has also set up a swimming pool, a modern kitchen, as well as purchasing a school bus and two lorries.
Nsubuga has also transformed Naggalama into an academic power house, by regularly producing some of the best students countrywide in the national exams. In the 2023 Uganda Certificate of Exams (UCE) UNEB results, Naggalama registered 291 (99.3 percent) first grades of whom, 21 scored 8 in 8 while 9 scored 9 in 8 subjects.
Nsubuga says, contrary to popular belief that they admit only the creme de la creme of the country, the school admits many whole performance is average. “We turn them into better grades at O-level and A-level. We are a second change,” says Nsubuga.
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According to Nsubuga, she has been able to achieve such milestones by creating systems that “work with or without you” working as a team, and supportive board and fervent prayers. “I have a very determined and hardworking teaching staff, always available to help students beyond classrooms. They are industrious, very diligent, and result oriented, always endeavoring to achieve the set targets. We are also a family. We share our sorrows and celebrate joys together,” Nsubuga explaisn.
Nsubuga is also grateful to the board of governors for having the school at hear. “We have a board that is decisive with impeccable integrity. They meticulously plan for the school and we implement. But we also participate in the decision making in that wen the board set targets, we discuss how to achieve the set targets.”
Nsubuga adds that for the number of years, the school has been doing benchmarking both nationally and internationally. She is currently a member of the International Confederation of Principals and whenever they congregate, she participates and copies the good practices from other schools.
She has also ensured that the school raises God fearing Christ centered citizens. We have mass every day and even classes start with a work of prayer. It just came to our attention that people tease us that we are a mixed seminary, because of our emphasis on the need to devout everything to God.
Nsubuga advises fellow leaders in education service to identify talent and give the identified opportunities to explore their leadership potential. “It is also important that we value people and appreciate effort. It is worth nothing that contributions come in varying degrees, a cleaner for example plays a big role in the smooth running of any institution and as such, owe to be valued and appreciated.”
A firm believer in the institution of marriage, Nsubuga is happily married to Dr. Martin Nsubuga, whose support she says has been key in her career success. “He has been a key pillar in the growth of my career. He soothes me, encourages and is always willing to offer that much needed guidance and wisdom,” says Nsubuga.
