The teacher with a business mind

Alice Musiime Kamusiime, the head teacher of Kashozi Day and Boarding Primary School in Bushenyi District, says teachers must be handle pupils with care. PHOTO BY Zadock Amanyisa

What you need to know:

  • Alice Musiime Kamusiime is the head teacher of Kashozi Day and Boarding Primary School in Bushenyi District. She has been a teacher for the last 33 years and believes pupils are fragile and teachers must handle them with care.
  • “I am a teacher because of her. She was a unique role model, teacher and mother to all her pupils. She held us like chicks during our time in school under her.” Patience Kyomugasho, former pupil Kyeitembe
  • “She was my best teacher because she was very responsible in fact you can trust her with anything up to now. She is still unique.” Nicolas Muhabuzi, former pupil

Not many teachers study business and management-related courses. So when you meet Alice Musiime Kamusiime, 58, she strikes you as a special kind of teacher. The head teacher is a graduate of business from a top college in London. In fact, not many primary school teachers and heads come close to her level of education.

In 2007, Musiime enrolled for a Masters in Business Administration (Marketing management) course at London College of Business Studies, in London. Shortly after completion in 2009, she enrolled for a Diploma in Teaching in Lifelong Teaching Sector at London College of Management Studies, which she completed in 2010. She was given an opportunity to lecture at London College of Management Studies, London.
“Though I was a teacher, I had a business mind. I thought studying business would help me manage school business. Managing a school also involves business. In fact studying business enhanced my administration,” she says.

Background
Musiime was born on July 1, 1960 to a catechist father Mikayi Maaki (RIP) and Meeyi Maaki. She started school in 1968 at Kyeizooba Primary School completing in 1976 at Ruyonza Primary School in Bushenyi District. She joined Senior One at Kyebambe Girls Senior Secondary School in 1977, and completed in 1980.
Due to the prevailing conditions at the time, Musiime could not continue with school after O-Level. She later got married to Christopher Kamusiime in 1981.

“I chose to get married and wait for what life had in store for me. I settled for family life but was later encouraged by a neighbour, Gertrude Karire, who found me in a banana plantation one day and encouraged me to enroll for a teacher training course at Bushenyi Primary Teachers College. I welcomed the idea and went back to school,” says Musiime.

Between 1983 and 1985 she was training to be a primary school teacher, a dream she had harboured since childhood and indeed she became a grade three teacher.
“I was inspired by my primary school teachers who were always smart. One of them had a white shirt which was always flawless. This made me keep close to teachers that becoming one was not a surprise,” she says.

Beginning work
Musime started her career at Kyeitembe Model Primary School in Bushenyi Town immediately after leaving college. She was in 1988 appointed head of infant section in the same school, a position she held for a year before being made senior woman for three years.
While at Kyeitembe, Musiime decided to further her studies and enrolled for Diploma in Education in 1992 at National Teachers’ College, Kakoba in Mbarara.

Promotion
Musiime was promoted to second deputy head teacher of Kyeitembe a position she held from 1994 to 1995. In 1996, she was made acting first deputy head teacher until 1999 when she was transferred and made head teacher at Kyabandara Primary School, currently Sheema District. After her transfer, Musiime did not settle for pomp that comes with the position. Instead she went to Makerere University for a Bachelor of Education, a course she completed in 2002.

After her sojourn in London, Musiime returned to Uganda in 2011, as head teacher of Mungonya Primary School where she also doubled as chairman, Mungonya Community Learning Centre. She left in 2013 to become head teacher of Kashozi Day and Boarding Primary School, a position she still holds.

Tib bits
Musiime says she empowers pupils to always feel free to approach her over various issues. “I give a chance to pupils to freely tell me what happens in school even when I am not around,” she says. She is greatly disappointed by irresponsible and reckless teachers saying teachers hold the learners’ future and must exhibit the highest level of responsibility, and protect learners like a hen protects her chicks. The mother of five says she has been able to raise and educate them as well as establishing a good home and property for them.