Risaala High School Officially Opens in Nyimbwa with a Triple Curriculum Combining Secular Education, Qur'an and Technical Skills

Nyimbwa, Luweero — Risaala High School, a new Islamic secondary school located at Nyimbwa along Bombo Road in Luweero District, was officially opened on Saturday, 7 November 2026, in a colourful ceremony that brought together parents, students, Muslim leaders, educationists, sponsors and invited guests.

The chief guest, Hajji Buzindadde, officially opened the school in the presence of the special guest, Ambassador Dr. Ahmada Kisuule, Sheikh Dr. Haruna Jjemba, Dr. Hassib Takuba of Amana Foundation, school director Eng. Muhammad Nsereko and the school's head teacher, Hajjati Zainab Bakita.

The school started its first academic year in January 2026 with Senior One and Senior Two. It runs what its management describes as a triple-based curriculum: secular education, Islamic Theology and Tahfiidh (memorisation of the Qur'an), and compulsory technical and vocational training for every learner.

The school motto is "Profound in Knowledge", rendered in Luganda as Okubbinkira mu Kumanya.

The day-long event was streamed live on Muslim Channel and carried by several other Muslim media houses, including Salaam TV and Rahma Islamic Media.

"Why Do You Take Your Child to School?"
School director Eng. Muhammad Nsereko, an architect, building contractor, councillor and graphics designer, used the occasion to challenge parents to rethink their expectations of education.

Speaking to Muslim Channel during the ceremony, he said the question he puts to every parent is simple: why do you take your child to school?

He observed that many parents choose schools because of toys, attractive dormitories, parties, trips or good meals, instead of asking whether the school has laboratories, workshops and teachers who will develop the child's abilities.

"If a parent wants good facilities, he should take the child to a hotel."
— Eng. Muhammad Nsereko, Director, Risaala High School

He added that once parents understand the real purpose of school, they will look for an institution that builds skills.

Eng. Nsereko criticised the obsession with examination marks, describing marks as "just a paper" and noting that many graduates leave university without knowing what they can do with what they studied.

"We are graduates of nothing," he said of the current system, arguing that Ugandan learners spend years and parents' money on theory without practical competence.

He explained that Risaala admits learners only at Senior One and Senior Two so that every student can complete a three-year technical programme before sitting Senior Four, leaving school with both the national secular certificate and a technical certificate.

Every Learner Must Have a Skill
According to the director, every student at Risaala, whether in the secular, Theology or Tahfiidh section, must take at least one technical course.

The school opened with five technical courses: building and construction, electrical installation, welding, tailoring and automotive mechanics, alongside agriculture and fine art. Next year, the school plans to add courses such as catering, computer studies and plumbing.

The director said the school's approach starts at primary level through its sister school, Etihad Learning Centre, which he described as a "discovery centre" where children's talents are identified, while Risaala High School acts as a "career development centre".

He also announced that students will go for industrial training after the December term, and that the school will introduce three-month holiday short courses open to learners from other schools, with Qur'an lessons compulsory for every Muslim participant.

Qur'an Memorisers Urged to Add Skills
Eng. Nsereko said one of the biggest gaps he has observed among Qur'an memorisers (Huffadh) is that many focus only on memorisation and fail to develop other talents, including reading and writing.

He pointed out that memorising the Qur'an is not a job in itself and that there are few paying positions for Huffadh in Uganda.

At Risaala, he said, Tahfiidh students are taught to understand what they memorise and are given a technical skill so that they can serve both their faith and their livelihoods.

The point was demonstrated during the ceremony when Tahfiidh students led a Qur'an challenge, explaining numerical patterns in Surat Yusuf, Surat Al-Kawthar, Surat Al-Alaq and Surat Al-Fatiha, as guests followed along in copies of the Qur'an.

Students Showcase Practical Projects
Students exhibited a wide range of projects to demonstrate what the school calls "turning classroom experience into job opportunities".

Agriculture students demonstrated how to grow sukuma wiki (kale), explaining that 100 plants can generate about UGX 20,000 daily for close to a year.

Technical drawing students presented pavers made from recycled plastic bottles and sand, a project aimed at reducing plastic pollution, which they said sells at about UGX 5,000 per paver.

Fine art and tailoring students displayed key holders, baskets and tie-and-dye fabrics, while automotive mechanics students explained the vehicle cooling system and offered free check-ups for guests' vehicles parked at the venue. Electrical students also showcased an electric gate and automatic lighting systems.

Pupils from sister schools, including Etihad Learning Centre, Khalid Islamic Junior School and Zuhura Education Centre, entertained guests with nasheeds, Qur'an recitations, poems and Arabic drama with lessons on justice, character and patience.

Head Teacher Outlines Achievements and Challenges
Head teacher Hajjati Zainab Bakita thanked Amana Foundation and Dr. Hassib Takuba for establishing the institution, and the director for the opportunity to lead the school in its first year.

She said the school will continue admitting only Senior One and Senior Two students, with Senior Five expected to open next year.

Hajjati Bakita listed the school's main challenges as the high cost of living and materials, a broken water pump and insufficient water storage, and the need for a boundary wall to secure learners. She noted, for example, that a welding sheet previously bought at UGX 120,000 now costs UGX 180,000.

She appealed to well-wishers to support the school with water tanks, a pump and fencing, and urged parents with children who have completed Primary Seven to bring them to Risaala.

Chief Guest Calls for Science, Technology and Entrepreneurial Minds
In his address, chief guest Hajji Buzindadde commended the family of Sheikh Abdul Nuhu Busuulwa and Sheikh Idris Nsereko, whose descendants have founded several schools, including Madina, Kiini, Etihad, Mihan, Khalid and now Risaala.

He described the Risaala team as "reformers" who are reviving the Islamic tradition of science and practical knowledge, citing Muslim scholars such as Al-Khwarizmi in mathematics and astronomy, Ibn Sina in medicine and Jabir ibn Hayyan in chemistry.

Hajji Buzindadde warned that Uganda's growing population and shrinking family land mean young people can no longer depend on inheritance to survive. He noted that about half of Uganda's population is below 15 years and about 75 per cent is below 30, creating a heavy dependence burden.

Comparing education systems, he said China has about 930 strong universities focused on science, production and manufacturing, while Uganda has about 40.

"Science and technology is the way to go."
— Hajji Buzindadde, Chief Guest

He urged parents to prepare their children to become creative, innovative and self-reliant, adding that financial pressure contributes to many marriage breakdowns in Uganda and that a child prepared as an entrepreneur is better able to sustain a family.

Muslim Leadership Institute Proposed
Sheikh Dr. Haruna Jjemba praised the school's programmes and the director's ideas, and announced that he had invited Eng. Nsereko to work with him on establishing a Muslim Leadership Institute.

He said the institute would train leaders of the Muslim community and help people with religious knowledge to turn it into practical work that benefits society.

Future Plans: Senior Five, Technical Diploma and University
The school's management announced plans to open Senior Five in 2027 for both science and arts combinations, as well as a Thanawi programme combined with technical training.

Through its partnership with Emirates Technical Institute, which shares the premises, the school hopes to offer technical certificates and diplomas, with a long-term vision of establishing a university.

Speakers also thanked the school's sponsors and partners, including Amana Foundation, 3M Design and Construction, Mensoft Technologies and Graphics, Etihad Learning Centre and Handzone Foundation.

Risaala High School at a glance
Location: Nyimbwa, along Bombo Road, Luweero District
Opened: Officially opened 7 November 2026; classes began January 2026
Motto: "Profound in Knowledge" (Okubbinkira mu Kumanya)
Curriculum: Secular education, Islamic Theology and Tahfiidh, and compulsory technical training
Technical courses: Building and construction, electrical installation, welding, tailoring, automotive mechanics, plus agriculture and fine art
Admissions: Senior One and Senior Two only; Senior Five planned for 2027
Needs: Water tanks, a water pump and a boundary wall
From Grand Opening to a New Model of Islamic Education
The opening of Risaala High School introduces a model that seeks to answer a long-standing concern in Uganda's education sector: graduates who hold certificates but lack employable skills.

By combining secular subjects, Qur'an and Theology with compulsory technical training, the school aims to produce graduates who are grounded in faith and able to create their own jobs.

Its success will depend on sustained support for equipment, qualified teachers, water and infrastructure, as well as parents' willingness to value skills over marks.

For the school's leadership, the message from Nyimbwa was clear. As the director put it, parents must first answer one question: why do they take their children to school?

Parents seeking places for children who have completed Primary Seven, and well-wishers wishing to support the school's water and fencing needs, are encouraged to contact the school administration at Nyimbwa. The full ceremony was broadcast live on Muslim Channel; follow Muslim Channel Uganda on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and X, and on the Muslim Channel app, for more updates from Risaala High School.

Wa Billahi Tawfiq.

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