IN THE PHOTO: Wonder child Asuman Buwembo
NEWS EDITOR
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ASUMAN Buwembo, son to city businessman Haji Ali Kasule of Nkozi, Mawokota County, Mpigi district deserves to be listed as a Genius in The Guinness Book of World Records. He is the youngest child ever in Uganda, to sit for Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) at age seven! It’s unbelievable!
At Seven years Old, when other children are just joining Primary education, Buwembo sat and passed Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) in 2000. No other child has ever done it again at that age!
21 years later, News Editor Media, the fastest growing news Website has traced for Buwembo to see what he is doing now. We have successfully got him and his father Haji Ali Kasule.
HOW DID BUWEMBO SIT FOR PLE AT 7 YEARS?
Asuman Buwembo started his education from Nkozi Demonstration School at the age of Four in P1. After one month, he was promoted to P2.
He left this school for Bwaise Parents School where he sat for P4 entry interviews and passed. In P4, he was 5 years old.
What is amazing about Buwembo is that, the average performer he was in P2 turned into an amazing brilliant child in P4.
His report cards indicate that the 40s and 50s he scored then, turned into 80s and 90s.
He was promoted to P5 at age Six and performed excellently to be promoted to P6 when he was Seven years old.
While in P6, according to a New Vision story published on Monday February 26th 2001, this young boy told his father Haji Kasule that he wanted to sit for PLE, so it was!
Year 2000 PLE Results returned when Asuman Buwembo had passed with flying colours and his news shocked the County. Many did not believe it, yet it happened!
He was admitted at Kawempe Muslims School in Kampala for S1 at the age of 8 years, when other children would be just in P3. At 13 years old, Asuman Buwembo was ready to enter Makerere University!
His father says, Buwembo from childhood did things in unusual way.
“When he was just 2 years old, he found me sitted in the compound and asked me, ‘Dad, when you grow grey hair, have you prepared children who will take care of you?’ I was shocked to hear such a question from a breastfeeding child.” Recalls Haji Kasule.
The father thought some one at home had sent this boy to ask him that question which he didn’t answer.
Kasule instead walked out of his gate pretending that he was going somewhere yet he wanted to see whether Buwembo will run back to whoever had sent him.
“On getting out, I peeped through small holes on my gate to see him running back to the person who sent him to ask me such a question.To my shock, he just joined other children in the compound to play. This then made me realise, this boy must be in school earlier.” Reveals Haji Kasule.
NOT NEWS TO THE FAMILY
According to The New Vision story published then; “To the rest of us (public), it is big news. To the family, it was not.”
How can it be when Haji Kasule had an Eighteen-years-old daughter in Second year at Makerere University, offering Medicine?
Now a top lecturer, Dr. Madina also was in P1 at Four-years old.
She spent one term in P2 and was promoted to P3 in the Second term.
The only class she repeated was S6. On the second sitting, she passed highly and was offered Medicine on Government sponsorship.
Haji Kasule is a Ssalongo. His twins turned 7 years old while they were in P4. The twins started school with Asuman Buwembo.
Two of his children, one in S2 and another in S3 were 12 and 14 years old, respectively. Two years younger than the rightful age of S2 for the former and one year younger for the latter.
Haji Kasule argues that, taking the child early at school helps a great deal because the rate at which they grasp what they are taught is high.
In his family, Kasule ensures that at the age of Four, his children join P1.
He teaches his children the basics while at home such that by the time they are in P1, they are quite knowledgeable. At 2 yrs old, his children are well conversant with multiplication tables.
Incidentally, Haji Kasule is a S1 dropout. His wonder children, save for two, have different mothers.
In Nkozi, Haji Kasule is remembered for organising a mega graduation party for six of his children who graduated at ago from Makerere University!
Each child sat in a special car and the convoy passed through Kayabwe to Nkozi. Hundreds gathered on road to wave at Kasule and his children clad in their graduation gowns. Food and drinks at home were in plenty, the whole village was invited by this rich man. This has never happened again!
I AGREE WITH MY FATHER ON EARLY EDUCATION – DR. MADINA
Kasule’s daughter Dr. Madina, agrees with his father that at a tender age, one easily grasps facts. She says, “The brain is sharper and can easily grasp what is handled by the teacher.
While in S4, teachers at Madina’s school had refused to register her because of her age.
Psychologists say, ages one to five are the formative years, so it is easier for a child to grasp anything even if means getting a mathematical concept.
“It is right young children grasp quickly. However, I would see something different. The very fact that the family values education, that in itself encourages children to achieve.” New Vision quoted a top lecturer at the Institute of Psychology.
He said, “There are bright children out there who don’t value education. Their abilities can never be tapped. The very fact that a child is thinking about PLE at that age (Seven), is very unusual.
Another Psychologist has a different school of thought. She advises: “Parents should leave the children to go through the normal system. Even in P6, some pupils are told to sit for PLE. However much they are pushed to go to the next class, they are not ready. They lose out on something.”
In Part II of this story, we bring you Buwembo’s full education journey, what did he score in P7, S4, S6 and at the University. By the way, what is he doing now? For views/comments, sms 0792735159 or send an email to newseditor.info@gmail.com
