Lira: St. Mary’s Magdalene Girls’ school designated to offer vocational training

Lira | The Ministry of Education and Sports has designated St. Mary’s Magdalene School in Lira City to provide vocational training to Ugandans.

St. Mary’s Magdalene, a girls’ school, will provide students with vocational skills through direct industrial training programs. Beneficiaries are expected to come from all over the nation.

Geoffrey Odur, Managing Director of Mentor Secondary School and Magdalene, stated on January 20, 2025, that the Ministry of Education had recently approved St. Mary’s Magdalene’s earlier application to train students in various vocational skills through direct industrial training.

Odur says the school excels in both sports and academics, especially football and netball. Numerous students, he said, have secured government sponsorships nationwide through excellence in sports.

Last year, St. Mary’s Magdalene Girls’ School was ranked 18th nationally and represented the Lango sub-region in national athletic competitions.

In addition, according to national rankings and a recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Education and Sports, St. Mary’s Magdalene Girls’ Campus is the best school in the Lango sub-region.

The director attributed this to its excellent facilities, which included well-equipped science and computer labs.

The school, which opened over a decade ago and is located in Lira City’s West Division, now has over 500 students.

Mentor Schools has been responsible for its management since 2019. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the education system nationwide, it has progressed since the pandemic was declared “over.”

According to Grace Angom, headteacher of St. Mary’s Magdalene Mentor Campus, the school achieved notable results in 2023, with 35 students passing in Division One and 98 in Division Two out of 133 candidates registered for the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE).

Angom emphasized that the school is dedicated to providing a high-quality education to all female students, actively promoting girl child education at both the O and A levels. This includes providing full scholarships to talented students who excel in academics and sports.

She stated that the school stands out as the top girls’ school in the nation. “I have established this esteemed institution to enhance the skills of our learners for the benefit of our children.”