In a world where young people face many distractions, pressures, and uncertainties, learning how to be still is a gift that can last a lifetime.
At Uganda Buddhist Centre, students from Buddhist Peace School (Nursery and Primary) and African Buddhist High School gathered in the temple to learn about meditation and mindfulness. Guided by Bhante Buddharakkhita, Stephen Wyard, and the monastic community, the students were introduced to different forms of meditation, including sitting, standing, and walking meditation.
For the students, this was not only a religious activity. It was a lesson in how to live. Meditation teaches learners how to pause before reacting, how to listen with attention, how to calm the mind, and how to develop patience and self-awareness. These are qualities that support them in the classroom, at home, and in their relationships with others.
The sight of students sitting quietly in the temple reflects one of the unique contributions of Buddhist education in Uganda. Academic knowledge is important, but so is inner discipline. A child who learns mathematics and English is being educated. A child who also learns kindness, mindfulness, respect, and self-control is being formed.
This approach offers reassurance that the children are being guided beyond books. It also shows the deeper mission of the schools: to nurture young people who are not only capable, but also peaceful, thoughtful, and compassionate not forgetting that our mission is dedicated to imparting knowledge and wisdom through a holistic approach that encompasses the development of the head, heart, hands, health, and happiness (5H) thus creating the new African breed of responsible leaders.
In these moments of stillness, the school’s vision becomes visible.
