Mubaje cautions against entirely free education

By Issa Kigongo

In efforts to improve Muslims education in Northeastern Uganda, the multi-million-dollar Agaitha Modern Schools complex in Kumi District officially opened its doors on Thursday, November 26, 2025. Presiding over the ceremony, the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, warned its administrators against offering entirely free education.

The Mufti’s message, delivered before a gathering of local leaders, educators, parents, and dignitaries, was framed within a broader context of community responsibility.

“Parents take things for granted by failing to provide any support towards their children or the school,” he stated, reflecting on past experiences.

“So, it is appropriate to fix some fee, however small, so parents and guardians know it is a shared responsibility,” Mubaje cautioned.

This counsel stood in contrast to his commendation for the project’s founder, Dr. Mohammed Nasser Al-Rasbi, and the school’s state-of-the-art facilities, which he described as truly modern and befitting of its name.

The newly commissioned complex, situated on over five acres of land in Omerein Village, Mukongoro Sub-County, represents a major private investment in the Northeastern Muslim Region.

Conceived and funded by Dr. Al-Rasbi, an Omani national with deep ancestral ties to the area, the institution features a complete educational pathway comprising Nursery, Primary, and High School sections.

The facilities include a furnished administration block, a multipurpose hall with a modern public-address system, equipped chemical and computer laboratories, separate libraries for primary and secondary students, a modern kitchen, and several electrified water-purifying systems to ensure safe drinking water.

A mosque is also part of the complex, with several dormitories still under construction.

Dr. Al-Rasbi, the founder and Chairperson of the Board of Directors, revealed that the project was inspired by his parents, who settled in Uganda as merchants in the mid-1940s. His mother is buried in the area.

Quoting Qur’anic verses, he outlined an ambitious vision for the schools: “Our vision is to turn these institutions into a beacon of excellence, to nurture young minds into great thinkers, empower students for lifelong learning, and create a centre of transformation where innovation is part of progress and a source of pride.”

Sheikh Abubakar Omar Obilan, the Regional Assistant to the Mufti, traced Muslim heritage in Teso back to the early 20th-century efforts of Umar Anapa, the first Itesoti Muslim revert.

Mubaje on elections

The Mufti urged Ugandans—especially the youth—not to emulate violence witnessed in war-ravaged countries, but instead safeguard peace during and after the forthcoming national elections.

Citizens, he said, should elect patriotic leaders who value development, stability, and continuity.