Here’s what Ugandan students consider appropriate gifts during exam season:
I think parents should give their children gifts that are meaningful and helpful to their growth, such as clothes, and other necessities. Gifts should not only be expensive items like cars. What matters most is the love and thought behind the gift, rather than its price.
Precious Nankebe
S6, Comprehensive College Kitetikka
The best gift a parent can give a child is prayers and presence and words of encouragement. Doing too much is gifting luxurious gifts like expensive phones, that is very spoiling.
Raymond Bateze
S2 St Gonzaga Budini SS Kaliro District
In my opinion, acceptable gifts are those that motivate children to work hard and become responsible people. Parents can reward good performance with school requirements, clothes or even an opportunity to participate in activities we enjoy. However, gifts should not make children feel entitled or believe that they deserve everything they ask for.
Bashir Kalanzi Ssempiira,
S6, Comprehensive College Kitetikka
Encouragement is an enough gift. Too much money is doing too much as a parent. Give us average money and a success card with words of encouragement and maybe more physical gifts like a necklace, each time I will see it in exams around my neck, I will remember your words of encouragement. Luxurious gifts like trending shoes and phones is doing too much.
Steven Bwanga
S3 St Gonzaga Budini S.S. Kaliro District
I believe parents should give children gifts that are appropriate for their age and contribute to their well-being. Items such as clothes, learning materials, toys and sports equipment can help us learn and enjoy our childhood. Parents should also understand that not every child needs the same gift, and they should avoid giving things that may negatively affect our studies or behaviour.
Shifurah Arish Nakitende
S2, Comprehensive College Kitetikka
I think parents should give children gifts that make them happy while also teaching them important values. For example, parents can buy us sports equipment, games or other things we need. However, gifts like phones and unrestricted access to social media should come with guidance and rules so that they do not distract us from schoolwork. Above all, love, encouragement and time spent together are also valuable gifts.
Shaban Raish
S3 Comprehensive College Kitetikka
Things like branded cups are acceptable and should be gifted. However, electronics gadgets like phones and laptops are just too much and some students misuse them.
Jalirah Namutamba.
S3 St Gonzaga Budini S.S, Kaliro district
I believe parents should give children gifts that encourage good behaviour, education and responsibility. Things like school bags, clothes and sports equipment are acceptable because they help us develop our talents. Parents should also spend time with their children because attention and guidance are gifts that money cannot buy.
Isaac Mukisa
S2, Comprehensive College Kitetikka
Normally what parents do is fantasize a lot, thinking it’s very expensive gifts that will make us pass, but it’s not. Instead it affects our cognitive reasoning negatively and we end up not performing well because we are more focused on the expensive gifts. Parents, please don’t send us your fantasies, instead come to school physically and encourage us to focus, this is better and a success card too with some small money not more than Shs 50,000.
Jesse Avril Besimire
S3 St Gonzaga Budini S.S. Kaliro District.
Parents should gift things like frame works with encouraging words like Bible verses in success frames. A lot of money distracts us. Money like Shs 200,000 a week is too much, messes with our concentration. Shs 50,000 is enough for the exams period.
Joseph Muwanguzi
S3 St Gonzaga Budini S.S Kaliro District
A success card and a picture frame and some money like Shs 50,000 is acceptable. Overboard is for flower bouquets of money hitting Shs 1m. That is too much and bad.
Maria Joy Nangobi,
S3 st Gonzaga Budini S.S. Kaliro District
Normal success card and a t-shirt branded with the students photo is enough but some parents exaggerate gifting kids lots of money like Shs 1m and some even cars. It affects our concentration
Vivian Norah Akoth
S5 St Gonzaga Budini S.S Kaliro District
Parents need to know that we are all from different backgrounds when gifting. So they shouldn’t exaggerate things like cars, that is over doing it. Gifts like frames with encouraging words and vacuum cups and success cards are enough.
Hudha Namusubo
S.3 St Gonzaga Budini S.S Kaliro District
I think different kids are different, understand your child 1st before gifting them. Gift them things that will make them comfortable. Rich kids can be gifted things like expensive phones, they are already used, poor kids shouldn’t be gifted luxurious things, they will be too excited and lose focus. For rich kids, things like gifting them a house is doing too much, they see no value in studying.
Abubakari Luba
S3 St Gonzaga Budini SS Kaliro District
I think parents should give their children gifts according to their needs and the family’s financial ability. Gifts such as clothes, shoes, and educational materials are good because they support our studies and personal development. Parents should avoid competing with others by buying expensive gifts that may put them under financial pressure.
Ruth Arinda
S5, Comprehensive College Kitetikka
Gifts like prayers, cakes, presence are acceptable but luxurious things like expensive phones is doing too much, they even distract us from concentrating
Ramah Kibedi
S2. St Gonzaga Budini SS Kaliro District