By 10:45 a.m. on March 15, 2025, groups of pupils at Mubende Tiger Army Primary School had gathered in quiet clusters, absorbed in books of their choice. The scene was part of the annual Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Day, a global literacy campaign celebrated locally across Uganda.
The Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) has designated March 15 of every year as the national DEAR Day for all primary schools. At exactly 11:00 a.m., learners and teachers across the country pause all activities and dedicate time to reading.
To join in the Mubende celebrations, a team from MoES, the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), the Reading Association of Uganda (RAU), and Room to Read took part in interactive reading sessions, which were complemented by vibrant music, dance, and drama performances.
Representing the NCDC Director, Ms Jennifer Oyaro, a curriculum specialist, highlighted government efforts to strengthen literacy. “The Government of Uganda is working hard to enhance literacy development through the use of local languages as the medium of instruction at lower primary, developing early grade reading materials, supporting speech communities to form Language Boards, developing orthographies, and guiding communities to write materials in local languages,” she said.
Dr Safina Mutumba, Assistant Commissioner for Pre-Primary Education at MoES, urged pupils to cultivate the reading culture and apply their talents in service to their communities.
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