Nearly 500 nurses and midwives joined the profession last week when International Institute of Health Sciences-Jinja (IIHS), held a graduation ceremony for its latest class of students.
Some 457 students obtained certificates and diplomas in nursing and midwifery after completing nearly three years of training at the institute. One of them, Clare Musenero, who obtained a diploma in Nursing, is currently operating at a pharmacy in Iganga district. She credited her success to hard work but had a word of advice.
Some of the graduands prepare to cut the cake
“I urge all health training institutions to [establish] more centres for practicals. For instance, in Jinja alone we have three institutions but we were all squeezed up in Jinja Main regional referral hospital,” Musenero said. “Not everyone had a chance to touch the hospital equipment.”
For his part, Science, Technology and Innovation minister, Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, who was chief guest, tasked the graduands to be open to creating their own jobs.
“Instead of moving [from one place to another] in search of employment, you should organise yourselves in groups and start up something on your own,” Tumwesigye said.
“In case of any opportunity, push on for further studies and enrich yourselves with more knowledge and skills in this competitive health sector market where clients want excellent medical care services.”
IIHS chief executive officer, Dr Sebastian Kezaala, asked government to extend support to private nursing schools in the country.
“Private institutions partner government in educating nurses but we need more interventions like provision of laboratory equipment buses that can ferry students to rural hospitals for [internships],” Dr Kezaala said.
Makerere University’s agriculture students have resolved to educate the public about counterfeit seeds, following a study on the subject.
The call came during a week-long seed expo at the Source of the Nile agricultural show ground in Jinja last week. The expo was called to educate farmers on the modern mechanisms of growing seeds that suit the current rain-scarce seasons.
Dr Samuel Kalimunjaye of Makerere’s college of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences said their decision followed a study on counterfeit seeds in Uganda’s market in 2015.
“As Makerere, we have done our research and implemented it but the rest is up to the farmers out there to buy seeds which are certified by the ministry of agriculture and, in turn, harvest more yields,” he said.
Technology Consults Ltd, a consultancy firm based in Makerere University's College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, celebrated 25 years this year with a series of charitable activities, including painting the zebra crossing at Kitante in Kampala
Mercy Namara, a researcher from Makerere, had even better news for the farmers.
“We [have developed] a number of drought-tolerant crops and we have set up a demonstration farm in Nakabango parish in Jinja, where farmers can train on quality farming,” Namara added.
The expo attracted several local seed-producing companies looking for opportunities from farmers. Speaking for government, the minister of state for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Christopher Kibanzanga, commended the students for practicing their knowledge instead of waiting for government employment.
“Students should be more practical and exhibit their university skills and knowledge with all the passion to our populace,” Kibanzanga said. “I think students like you who have come up with this year’s seed expo will help in the fight against fake dealers who have flooded the market with fake seeds.”
Kampala University held what must be ranked the most emotional graduation ceremony which saw their chancellor, Prof Edward Rugumayo, announcing his retirement after 18 years.
He first presided over proceedings for the 14th graduation ceremony at the university’s Ggaba campus, awarding degrees and diplomas to 3,014 graduands.
An excited graduand of Kampala University
The university, which last year received its charter from the president, saw prof. Rugumayo reminding the graduands to continue their long professional journey, which should include further studies.
“You have reached the important level of your learning. This doesn’t (stop you from ) showcasing your intellect but is an opener and foundation to the professional person you shall be,” he said.
For his services, Prof. Rugumayo was awarded an honorary PHD in Environmental Sciences in recognition of his contribution to the University. He also becomes the first PHD graduand for the university.
Prof Edward Rugumayo (seated), the KU chancellor, receives an honorary PhD from Prof Badru Kateregga in honor of his service for 18 years
In his report, the founding Vice Chancellor, Prof. Badru Kateregga, urged the graduands to become self-reliant and entrepreneurial.
“You should not bother government or parents about jobs that may not be easily available,” he said. “Am very sure each one of you graduating, went through entrepreneurship training, project planning and management and communication skills.”
He added that, these programmes were a firm foundation for the students joining the world of work. Prof. Kateregga informed the guests that the university has purchased the land that houses Ggaba campus on which they had been tenants for the last sixteen years.
Bugiri district chairman Malijhan Azalwa says they are still unable to get all children of school-going age into schools.
Speaking at the official opening of Bugodo Secondary School in Bugiri recently, Azalwa said most children join school at the age of 10.
“It is true that education in Bugiri district is still a challenge but we are trying our level best to see all children of age attending school,” Azalwa said. “During school hours, children are either in sand mines, playing board games or laying bricks.”
However, he added that the district was hunting for all parents who refuse to send their children to school as a way of improving education standards in the district.
Bugodo SS, a community school, was constructed by the Islamic Centre for Education and Research (ICER) with funding from Dar Al Ber Society, an Islamic charitable organisation based in the United Arab Emirates. A mosque, with a seating capacity of about 350 people, furnished with a public address system and solar power and toilets was also constructed at the school as part of the project.
Prince Kassim Nakibinge (2nd L) opens Bugolo SS as Imam Idi Kasozi (3rd L) looks on
Azalwa told The Observer that Bugodo SS is the first secondary school in Kapyanga sub-county, Bugodo village, Namukonge parish, in Bugiri district. However, the subcounty has quite some primary schools.
“This school has very beautiful structures but if there are no students, that means the buildings will be useless. So, we see this as an opportunity for the community and the district as a whole for more children to go to school,” he said, before pledging to support the school with Shs 500,000 to buy books for students and a bulldozer to level the school compound.
Imam Idi Kasozi, one of the ICER coordinators, said two schools have so far been constructed in Busoga sub-region this year, comprising of classrooms, head teacher’s office, library, laboratory and a main hall. ICER recently launched Kamuli Community primary school in Kamuli district.
“In the localities where the schools are constructed, people are really in need of such facilities,” Kasozi said. “We [ICER] also run Buziga Islamic Theological Institute and are in need of classrooms but we thought there was need to first extend support to other regions of the country.”
According to Kasozi, each project of a school and mosque when combined is estimated at Shs 400m. He said, in a memorandum of understanding signed with Bugodo SS, at least two students will be given full support every year.
Prince Kassim Nakibinge, who was the chief guest at the function, commended ICER and the Jeema president, Asuman Basalirwa, for mobilising residents who donated the land on which the two projects were set up.
“You welcomed the project with open hands; there is no donor who is going to bring their child to study from the school. Support the school with more students and keep the facilities in good shape,” Nakibinge told the residents.
He asked Kasozi to moblise more funds and set up a primary school on part of the school’s seven acres as residents are willing to offer more land up to 20 acres. Currently, Bugodo SS offers both a secular and Islamic curriculums with an enrolment of 43 students from senior one to senior five.
“We opened the school to the learners this term and we are pleased with the turnout so far. Next year, we shall admit more students for senior six and four classes because we were not prepared enough to take on candidate classes this year,” Hamisi Mark Mususwa, the head teacher Bugodo SS, told The Observer.
Students living within Kapyanga sub-county have been walking about 10km to study from nearby sub-counties like Bulesa, Iwemba, Buluguyi and Nabukalu.
Secondary schools across the country will continue teaching the current O-level curriculum for the next four years.
In an interview with The Observer last week, Grace Baguma, the director of the Uganda National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), said they had agreed to discard the curriculum that had been developed and begin afresh.
“We have gone back to the drawing board to look at the content in the current curriculum but also pick some good experiences of what we had done in the new curriculum that was dropped,” Baguma said. “We are going to re-work things. If we can work quickly and train the teachers, I see a new curriculum come in 2020.”
In 2008, NCDC started work on updating the curriculum, following concerns that it was outdated, having been adopted in 1965. By December 2016, the curriculum was ready for piloting in 20 schools. However, a meeting held at State House Entebbe last year persuaded the president to halt the entire process for more consultations.
NCDC director Grace Baguma
The president then directed each of the nine public universities to second a lecturer to work with NCDC on the proposed reforms to the curriculum. On Friday last week, Baguma, together with other NCDC officials, presented a paper to the ministry’s top management on how they would reorganise the curriculum.
Asked if this was not a big setback, Baguma said: “It is indeed a big setback but unavoidable. When you prepare a curriculum and stakeholders say no, you have to go back and revisit their concerns.”
She said since education stakeholders did not appreciate the learning area approach which involved merging of some science subjects, they have agreed to go back to subject approach.
However, while names of some subjects will be retained, the content of some subjects will be changed in order to have a competence-based curriculum that looks at the learner’s competences and promotes the 21st century skills.
According to Baguma, the current curriculum is more of cognitive domains and examination-driven, thus encouraging cramming by learners to pass exams.
“Ideally, a curriculum should not be static and must be revised every five years. But due to the huge cost implications, we have for long worked with a curriculum given to us by colonialists,” she said.
NCDC has requested for at least Shs 5.3bn from government to start on the review of the curriculum for four years.
SUBJECTS
Initially, there were proposals to drop at least six subjects including agriculture, home economics, technical drawing, metal/wood work, building practice and music to be taught only in technical/farm institutes and polytechnic institutes.
But Baguma said though dropping some subjects like typewriting is absolute, she envisages agriculture being retained on the O-level curriculum.
“The president had also proposed that agriculture be combined with biology but agriculture is a key subject that even children who are not going to technical schools should learn,” she said. “Taking such a subject to farm schools will mean leaving out many children on what is the backbone of Uganda’s economy.”
She added that other subjects will further be discussed during the reviews but agriculture “cannot just be thrown here and there. It must be a standalone subject.”
As schools wait for a new curriculum by 2020, NCDC also wants to bring on board earth and space science as a learning area to prepare children for the global village.
Pupils and parents at Nyakika primary school in Ruhaama district were all smiles as Hima Cement formally handed over a four classroom block to the school administration recently.
Daniel Petterson, the country chief executive officer at Hima Cement explained that the firm was, “honored to make this contribution to the community in Nyakika. By giving back to the communities through corporate social investment, we believe we are able to help build a brighter future for all Ugandans”,
Through Hima Cement Green Schools Project, the company says it has been able to construct over 30 classroom blocks in several needy rural areas of the country.
“We also construct sanitary facilities for students, water tanks for safe water collection and give tree seedlings to educate students on environment protection,” Petterson said.
Janet Museveni (L) and Daniel Petterson, the country CEO of Hima Cement, after the handover of the classroom block to Nyakika PS
Receiving the block on behalf of the community, education minister Janet Kataaha Museveni expressed her gratitude to Hima Cement for their contribution to the school and health programmes.
The First Lady, who is also the former Ruhaama MP, emphasized to parents the importance of ensuring that children do not go hungry at school, noting that it directly impacts on their classroom performance.
“This is my call to you as parents; even with good classrooms, if your children come to school hungry, they will not be fruitful. This should be a basic provision for your children; let’s be partners for the development of our children,” Museveni said.
On March 17, the Kyambogo University council held a special meeting where PROF ELI KATUNGUKA-RWAKISHAYA was unveiled as the substantive vice chancellor for the next five years.
He becomes the third substantive vice chancellor to lead the 13-year-old institution. Prof Katunguka, who has been officially serving as the deputy vice chancellor in charge of Academics, talked to Yudaya Nangonzi about his plans for the university.
Congratulations on your appointment!
Thank you so much.
Prof Eli Katunguka-Rwakishaya
What is top on your list of priorities?
My agenda is big. The three years I have been at Kyambogo University as an acting vice chancellor [have been] a training period. I have learnt to understand the intricacies of the university which are unique and not like [at] any other institution.
I have come to know the people who move the university like top management, priorities of teaching and non-teaching staff and students, among others. I can confidently say that I now understand Kyambogo University and the challenges that lie ahead. I will put together a mechanism on how to address them.
What do you think is expected of you in the five years?
You know, running a university is not a one-man job. I have a management team, deans of faculties, and heads of departments, among others. My role as a vice chancellor is to coordinate the efforts of all these people.
What I will do first is to have a meeting of a day or two of all top managers and student leaders such that we can chart a way forward. We have a strategic plan that will guide us on what to do. Each unit is going to develop a work plan in addressing the strategic plan.
We must address issues [concerning] students, quality, admissions and all issues concerning teaching and learning including research which has been one of our weak points due to limited funds. I have a whole menu of things to do to improve Kyambogo.
Share with us some of the university’s technical teething problems and how you plan to address them.
What comes to light immediately are issues of underfunding, human resource gaps, and shortage of both physical infrastructure and ICT. When the university was set up in 2003, the student population was about 5,000 but we now have about 23,000 students using the same facilities.
You can now see the push and breakdown in the physical infrastructure the university has been going through over the years. So, the lack of appropriate infrastructure coupled with sanitation has been a big problem and one of the causes of frequent strikes.
We are trying to address this challenge with the ongoing ADB construction project and the university’s central lecture block will provide great relief to the sanitation problem. We have insisted that every building must have sufficient sanitation facilities for students and staff.
Over time, we have realised more ICT usage at the university. How are you going to ensure the continuation of initiatives?
For a long time, our operations have been manual which are liable to abuse by wrong characters. This is where we had situations when some students would pay their tuition to some members of staff, who later collude with the bank to defraud the university.
We have intensified ICT use in almost all our activities because it is the way to go. We now have a financial management system which is linked to the banks and has saved the university a lot of money. The e-systems are progressing well. As I talk now, many universities are coming to benchmark on our systems.
Makerere University visitation committee looked at our financial management system and appreciated it as well as recommending it to other institutions. On April 5, Makerere University staff will be visiting us to see how our systems work.
Under my term, we are also looking at installing CCTV cameras at the university premises because we suffer many thefts, vandalism and a few attempts of rape.
We shall also have an IT-based entry and exit system for vehicles into the university, as a way of maintaining our roads and security at campus. Plans for commercialising our systems are also underway, at least in four months, to ensure that the university earns some revenue from them, and the people who develop the systems. We shall continue to develop more modules under the e-kampus system because management is very positive about ICT.
What do you consider to be your main achievement in the position of acting VC?
My main achievement is the area of institutional development mainly focusing on policy. We now have a human resource manual that shows how [staff are] recruited and managed, a financial management manual, ICT policy, quality assurance policy, research and innovations policy and the intellectual property management policy.
Currently, we are developing a policy on running short courses and public-private partnerships. All these policies have been done in a very short time and approved by council. Such policies have caused a lot of stability at the university because people know how they will be recruited, promoted and struck off the payroll.
We have a strong appointments board which has introduced examination tests using the policies. In the past, people have been working for say three years and asking for promotions yet they have done nothing and not improved their skills. The systems have been streamlined and I think it is going to bring a lot of stability in the university.
Are you saying all the three years have not been affected by major strikes?
Yes. The university has been stable apart from the 2016 industrial action by non-teaching staff of all public universities when government did not pay their arrears last year.
We have had no major incidents largely because we have been working with staff associations, student leaders and getting to know what is happening at the university before it explodes into a conflict situation.
By end of 2016, the university was undertaking massive construction under the Support to the Higher Education Science and Technology (HEST) project. What is the progress on this front?
The HEST project is going to be one of the best things that happened to this university. We have about six blocks, a virtual library and a number of engineering workshops to improve the physical infrastructure. We have the central lecture block with a number of lecture theatres moving on well and entirely funded by the university.
The project has also renovated many laboratories used by students. We have had staff enroll for PhDs and masters, best science students also got scholarships for undergraduate programmes also under the project. Another unique component of capacity building in non-teaching staff has also been achieved as people have been trained and we now have a competent workforce.
How are you planning to improve the university’s niche areas?
Our strong areas at the moment are engineering, science, special-needs education, business studies and entrepreneurship, and vocational studies with a strong component of art. We now need to give these areas more human resource because we still have a deficiency in the capacity of engineering.
Over the years, the staff there has not been keen on upgrading, many are retiring and leaving. Engineering will soon be well with construction of labs but we need more external professors to help us in the training of our students. As long as we sit down as a group and define our priorities, we shall achieve a lot.
Talk to us about how you intend to make Kyambogo University internationally competitive in research and knowledge transfer.
Kyambogo now has more than 120 PhDs on our staff in about five years and many are returning back. With this staff, we have [developed] a number of PhD and masters programmes.
We are going to continue training our staff in research management capacity which is still lacking in form of writing good proposals to compete for funds. There are also international partners that come to work with us in ECD, teacher education and secondary education.
Right now, we have 24 Norwegian primary teachers that are teaching in Kyambogo PS, Kyambogo SS and other schools in Banda on an exchange programme. Next year, we expect about 60 teachers as we also send our staff to their countries. We shall build a strong international office as a way of improving our partnerships.
Can we hope to see the end of strikes and general strife at Kyambogo over the next five years?
You cannot guarantee that. People’s demands keep changing and control of a public university is a duty of many players, with government playing a lead role.
Not everybody will agree with me but how I will handle such people will determine the future of the university. My administration is going to be available for any emerging issues affecting staff and students. All students, staff and security must communicate freely with me. I
’m here for everyone to keep calm at the university. There is no reason why people should grumble because I have told department heads to always communicate efficiently to their colleagues in order not to provide fertile grounds for rumors that lead to strikes.
Last week the debate on school arrival times for children flared up again, with the education sector weighing in. MOSES TALEMWA has been following the debate and gives the various angles to the subject.
Anita is just drifting into that sweet sleep, shortly before sunrise, when her alarm clock rings. It is 5am and time to wake up! With one light scream at the alarm clock – she grudgingly gets out of bed and heads to the shower. She has to get her two children (aged six and eight) up and ready for school.
Her children go to a day school some 20km away, but she has got to get them there before 7am; so, the journey starts with a shower and breakfast by 5:30am.
Then they hit the road at 6am. Anita’s children are lucky, she drives them to school in her car, and during the ride they get a chance to catch some sleep.
Others are not that lucky. They are usually bundled onto school shuttles at around the same time and trundled around, as more are picked up on the way to school. Those that live farthest from the school get onto the shuttle earliest, sometimes as early as 5:15am.
“We have no option … if you leave home after 6:50am, then we get caught up in traffic jams and end up at school long after 8am, which is not good,” Anita explains.
The misery is compounded by late returns home for those in the upper classes. Those in P6 and P7 occasionally leave school after 7pm, after some extra classes, in preparation for the primary leaving examinations.
Learners begin their journey to school in the morning
Anita admits that she is aware that her children need to sleep till sunrise, but she has found a way of ensuring that they sleep eight hours before their wake-up time.
“They have their supper by 6pm and after an hour, they have to go to bed so that they are ready to start a new day at 5am,” she says.
NOT A UGANDAN PROBLEM
If you listened to Ugandans complaining, you would think only our children get to school well before sunrise. Well, while I was looking in the direction of Kenya, I found that there is a private school called Taifa Takatifu primary school, tucked deep inside the dusty village of Rumuruti in Laikipia county, in the rift valley.
Here, children as young as four years old brave biting cold, harsh terrain and empty stomachs to be in school on time at 6:30am. The school was ranked the best in last year’s Kenya Certificate for Primary Education exams in Laikipia West sub-county, with a mean score of 348 marks. And Taifa Takatifu is not the only one getting learners in before sunrise.
The phenomenon has many concerned. In Uganda, education minister Janet Museveni has called for controls on the problem.
“The national school calendar calls for classes to start at 8am and conclude at 5pm … parents need to be mindful of this,” she says.
Across the border, in 2015, the then Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi cautioned schools leaders against requiring learners to report to schools earlier than 7:15am. Prof Kaimenyi, who felt some schools were forcing learners to report to school as early as 5.00am, was especially bitter about the teachers.
“This is unethical educational practice that exposes learners to risks of getting to school that early hour of the day,” said Prof Kaimenyi in a February 4, 2017 interview with Kenya’s The Standard.
Just like the Education Act 2008 in Uganda, Kenya’s Basic Education Regulations 2015, demand that learners should not be in school earlier than 7:15am. The regulations also require that both public and private schools operate from Monday to Friday. Class hours are supposed to be from 8am to 3:30pm. The next 90 minutes (3:30pm to 4:45pm) are reserved for co-curriculum activities.
All institutions with boarding facilities are required to operate 24/7 with 8am to 3:30pm being class hours.
“From 3:30pm to 4:45pm is time for co-curricular activities from Monday to Friday, 5pm to 7:30pm is for self-direct activities Monday to Friday,” state the regulations.
Students in boarding schools are required to start their prep from 7:30pm to 9:30pm Monday to Friday and rest until 6am the following day.
GOOD Vs POOR SCHOOLS
Interestingly, in Kenya, the schools heads have expressed their reservation over the directive, saying that learners have to get to school on time in order to start learning programmes on time.
“It is the students who are supposed to do manual work. When they arrive in school after 7:15am, what time will they carry out such activities in order to be in class on time?” a school head told The Standard newspaper recently.
Here in Uganda, education officials have agonized over the problem for years. In a 2012 interview with The Observer, the commissioner for Basic Education, Dr Daniel Nkaada, complained about school heads who were convinced that excessive teaching would lead to better results in national examinations.
“These children are not robots … they are humans who need plenty of rest to be able to excel,” Dr Nkaada said at the time.
Dr Nkaada’s concerns were made following ministry reports that showed that some schools associated extra classes with good performances in national exams.
“Many schools think that if they keep pumping a lot of information into the children, they will eventually get better grades [in national exams] … it does not work that way,” he added.
But a cursory look around Kampala shows that many of the schools that are highly lauded in national exams for their good academic performances are open for classes as early as 6am!
At that time, all roads into the central business district have lots of children either walking or being driven to school. The idea of traffic jams around Mengo, Ntinda, Bugolobi and Ggaba road in mid-morning have been the norm, but to see the same situation at 6:30am sets off alarm bells in the eyes of Robert Ssentalo, a boda boda cyclist in Bukoto.
“It is always like this, but this is wrong. Someone needs to do something about it,” he says, almost helplessly. “I have a customer who told me her children are always exhausted.”
And there is more than what Ssentalo is saying. Anita, whom we talked about earlier, lives in Kajjansi and prefers to send her two daughters to Sir Apollo Kaggwa primary school in Mengo.
“It is the only good school I want my children to attend … so, it is a small sacrifice, but in the end it will be worth it,” she asserts.
Susan, who lives metres away from Sir Apollo Kaggwa primary school’s Kisaasi campus, sends her children to the Nakasero campus.
“The one in our neighbourhood is still new and we are yet to ascertain its capability,” she says.
Janet lives in Namugongo and prefers to send her son to Kabojja Junior School in Kololo. These scenarios affirm Dr Nkaada’s concerns.
“These parents live near relatively good schools, but they choose to ignore them and go for those that they think are better, leading to all this chaos,” Dr Nkaada said in 2012.
Interestingly, all these parents have good schools in their neighbourhoods, but have established preferences that are miles away from their homes, hence the need to drive long distances, early in the night to get their children to school by 7am at the latest.
Dr Nkaada says he appreciates these concerns but thinks parents ought to trust that their children will thrive in school without the need to spend almost all their waking lives around a classroom.
SCHOOLS TO BLAME
However, some parents are intent on shifting the blame to the schools that open their gates early. One such parent, who insisted on anonymity, said her child’s school, Daffodils kindergarten, welcomes children in early.
On Wednesday last week, the school held a parents and teachers meeting where the school administration complained that some of the parents were bringing their children too early.
But this parent, a hotelier in Kampala, admitted that she brings her children into the school early on the grounds that her workplace has regular 7am meetings.
“My husband works upcountry; so, I’m the only person engaged in the school errands”, she said. “If I had an option, I would take them to boarding schools.” This parent has two children: one aged nine years, who is in boarding school and another aged five years, who is in middle class and braving the early morning rides to school.
On this school’s circular, the latest a child is required to report at 7:40am. Anyone arriving at 8am or later is deemed late and the parent is requested to sign in a book for habitual latecomers. Another parent also of this school says nursery children need to come at least after 7am as even teachers cannot make it to school by 6am.
“My children wake up at 5:30am and reach school by 7:20am. However, I make sure they go to bed by 7:30pm. “I agree with the ministry because what rocket science is the child of nursery going to be taught at that time. Really, this is not good.” In their defense, several school head teachers argued that they are only driven by the need to protect the children. For instance, at City Parents school, Matin Isagala says no classes occur at this school before 7:30am.
“We are very relaxed about what time children can come in, as long as it is not beyond 8:30 am, “Isagala said. Isagala also explains why his gates are open by 6am.
“We have parents who work as far away as Entebbe and they bring their children early…so, the teachers are usually outside the class to welcome the children into the school.” The teacher on duty at Sir Apollo Kaggwa primary school who insisted on anonymity as she is not authorised to speak, said they open their gates early since, “we can’t lock out the pupils until 7:30am, as it would be inhuman.”
SOCIAL/MEDICAL COST
However, in all of this, Anne Ampaire, a child psychologist at Makerere University, says unless it is moderated, there is an price to pay for getting children to school early.
“These children should be given more time to rest early at the end of the day, and on the weekend, or else they could end up psychologically unhinged,” she said.
Since 2014, the loan board has received 10,288 loan applications and awarded loans to 3,799 students
At least 66 students withdrew from the loan scheme, a report by the Higher Education Students’ Financing Board (HESFB) for the academic year 2016/17 has found.
The 46-page report that was compiled in October last year got to the figure after the release of names of the successful loan applicants. Some 1,325 students were awarded loans in the academic year 2016/17 out of the 3,764 applications.
“After awarding loans, the staff of the secretariat [HESFB] verified the students by head count, sensitized them before taking on loan obligations, and also witnessed them signing loan agreements,” reads the reports. “In the process of cleaning up, 66 students withdrew from the scheme.”
Of the 66 students that were initially successful, 42 were male and 24 female. According to the report, the students cited various reasons for withdrawal, like getting other scholarships, admission under government sponsorship, while others had opted for other programmes, not ordinarily supported by the scheme.
The list of withdrawals shows a student, who had applied for a BSc in Education programme and had got the loan, but withdrew to attend to a very sick father, while another, who applied for a diploma in medical laboratory technology, lost interest in further studies.
At least six students, whose names have also been withheld, could not raise funds for meals and accommodation in halls of residence, thus withdrawing from the scheme.
Michael Wanyama
Due to funding constraints, student loans currently cover only tuition, functional fees, research, and funds for aids and appliances for persons with disabilities.
Whenever a list of successful applicants is released, those who are not selected have a right to appeal through the education minister. In total, the board received 368 appeals for reconsideration last year, in accordance to Section 40 (1) of the HESFB Act.
“The appeals were re-evaluated in accordance with Section 15(5) on the instructions of the minister. The 66 withdraws, therefore, created a saving of Shs 347m which was later utilised by 57 successful students, out of those who had appealed,” the report noted.
In the academic year 2014/15, at least 113 students also withdrew from the scheme.
BENEFICIARIES
According to the report’s foreword signed by Michael Wanyama, the HESFB executive director, the students who benefited last academic year are from nine public universities, nine chartered private universities and 33 other tertiary institutions.
In the academic year 2016/17, the board received 3,764 loan applications as compared to 4,399 applications received in 2015/16. Of these, 835 were diploma students while 2,926 were undergraduate applicants. Of the 3,764 applications, 2,845 (75.58 per cent) were males and 919 females (24.42 per cent).
According to the report, HESFB rejected 364 applications as they did not conform to the application guidelines. The board found that of the 364 rejected students, some 229 had been admitted by non-chartered institutions, 57 were continuing students, 23 submitted after the deadline while three applicants had their age close to retirement.
Some two students applied for masters’ programmes and one for a PhD, yet the loans are entitled to undergraduate and diploma students. Overall, at least 1,325 students were successful for the academic year 2016/17. As was the case in the last two years, males again dominated the list of beneficiaries at 922 (69.59 per cent) leaving females at 403 (30.41 per cent).
NEW UNIVERSITIES
Last year, the board also approved two new universities into the scheme, bringing the total to 18. The new players are Soroti University (expected to open later this year) and Kampala University, which received a charter from the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) last year, enabling it to run postgraduate programmes.
However, the report noted that the HESFB did not receive any loan applications from newly established Soroti University for the academic year 2016/17. Other chartered universities are Busitema, Gulu, Kabale, Kyambogo, Lira, Makerere, Mbarara, Muni, Bishop Stuart, Bugema, Islamic University in Uganda, Kampala International University, Ndejje, Nkumba, Uganda Christian University and Uganda Martyrs University.
Students can also get loans to study through public technical colleges, health training institutions, National Teachers' Colleges and agricultural colleges. For repayment, HESFB gives undergraduates a grace period of one year commencing after the study period to enable the loanee reorganize, settle or transit to working life.
All the approved programmes and courses under which the students are supported fall in Pure and Applied Science and Technology. Some of the disciplines are Agriculture, Engineering, Science Education, Statistics, Special Needs Education, Petroleum and Human Medicine.
In an interview with The Observer recently, Wanyama said the board had also agreed to increase loans to degree programmes from the current 50 to 73 and from 62 diploma courses to 63 next year.
As students prepare to apply for loans May this year, he said the board will support only 1,200 students for the academic year 2017/18.
“We placed in a request for only those students because the resource envelope is still tight. This means we cannot increase the intake. We hope government will in future increase the funds to accommodate more students,” Wanyama said.
Since inception in 2014, HESFB has awarded loans to 3,799 students. Of these, 1,201 got loans in the academic year 2014/15 while 1,273 were approved for loans in 2015/16 and 1,325 students for 2016/17.
Last week, while many were complaining about sanitary towels in schools, many in the education sector were scratching their heads over a new initiative, in those same learning centres across the country.
The issue of school lunch continues to baffle educationists across the country. For the most part, many agree that it is inconceivable that children can learn effectively without access to school lunch.
This notion tallies with annual reports, which continue to show poor learning outcomes in parts of northern and eastern Uganda. It is no coincidence that these areas also have some of the most alarming poverty rates in the country.
Also that learning in many of these areas stops at midday, as parents and children are left to scavenge for food. The schools in these areas are also unable to provide lunch from their own resources; so, everything grinds to a halt.
In recent days, the ministry of Education and Sports has been at pains to insist that with a shortage of funds, there is no room for state provision of school lunch.
The three main ministers, Janet Museveni, Rosemary Sseninde and John C Muyingo are resolute that parents must find the means to provide lunch to their children. However, the education sector has left the door open for parents and school heads to discuss options of funding school lunch, without the involvement of the state.
Thus some local governments have reached memoranda with parents. Here, parents are required to present dry food rations to schools, so lunch is prepared for the children.
This is being implemented in Kamuli and it is hoped other local governments will find workable solutions that ensure that children are learning and feeding appropriately.
If local governments, parents and schools work together to ensure appropriate nutrition for their children, it follows that the children can develop better, while improving learning outcomes.
St Augustine International University (SAIU) recently launched a platform to interest more female students into studying sciences, hitherto dominated by males.
The platform involves SAIU working with secondary schools to develop interest in the sciences. Speaking during the launch of the St Augustine International University Women Empowerment association (SWEA) recently, the SAIU council chairman, Prof Venansius Baryamureeba, said the Association would work to make sciences more practical through ‘out of classroom’ experience for the students.
“We have already four schools associated with the university, this will be our starting point, additionally we believe that it is easier to interest our future students at an early stage,” Baryamureeba said.
L-R: Prof Venansius Baryamureeba; Rita Atukwasa, the executive director, Institute for Social Transformation; and Prof Sadiq Yusuf, the DVC academic affairs, launch the association
He explained that this is their part of a government effort to promote the teaching of sciences to the girl-child. Marta Vicente–Crespo, the SAIU dean, school of medicine, added that the association would also support women entrepreneurs with skills to improve their businesses and their incomes.
“Our mission is to have competent and confident women population who will be leading in innovation; we are also going to provide exposure and opportunity for women and girls to develop love of sciences and medicine,” she said.
Vicente-Crespo added: “Through this platform, we want to see that girls and women unleash their potential and grow to their fullest”.
She explained that SAIU is committed to providing innovative quality education grounded in a culture of developing hands-on skills for job creation and job markets; the university is guided by its dictum, ‘moral rearmament and wealth creation’ and women should not be left behind.
Victoria University held its second graduation last week, with the institution’s promoter and director Rajiv Ruparelia, challenging graduates to grab any opportunity that comes their way.
Speaking at the university’s second graduation at Kabira Country club, on Friday, Rajiv told the graduands that the world was full of opportunities waiting to be exploited.
Ranjiv Ruparelia addresses the congregation
The event saw 18 students receiving degrees, while a further two obtained diplomas. University Council chairman David Byatike Matovu challenged the graduands to become the university’s ambassadors.
“I have challenged you to go out and become our shining stars. You are our ambassadors,” he said. “Avoid pitfalls of corruption, criminal behavior, negligence and regression. Aim at growing professionally.”
The dean Faculty of Science and Technology Dr Terry Kahuma joins the students in a celebratory dance
He also commended the Ruparelia group of companies for its contribution to the economy. Jiwani Miriam received the best student award after scoring a grade point average of 4.8, obtaining a bachelor's degree in Public Health. She says she is looking forward to the diversity of opportunities that public health offers.
She says she is passionate about youth health and innovation and is a firm believer in their potential.
Kampala International University (KIU) has announced a slew of exchange initiatives with at least three Indian institutions, aimed at improving the quality of teaching and research there.
Announcing the initiatives last week, KIU vice chancellor, Dr Mouhamad Mpezamihigo, revealed KIU would start by sending a team of lecturers to the University of Kerala’s school of Medicine and Engineering.
“We are doing this to improve KIU’s expertise in the sciences,” he said. “We are also sending another team to Apollo hospital to benchmark standards in treatment and training for health workers.”
Dr Mouhamad Mpezamihigo, vice chancellor KIU
He added that a delegation of five members of staff will be in India next week to discuss research collaborations in science and technology with several institutions.
Dr Mpezamihigo also revealed that the university was talking to a university in Beijing, in the hope of collaborations. He explained that the university is looking to improve its standing in the region.
KIU has also unveiled plans for World Health day this month, with a three-day camp, set for April 19 to 21, 2017.
The three-day health camp will feature health workers, including medical students, offering free services such as safe male circumcision, cancer screening, hepatitis tests, dental checks, eye care, blood donations, voluntary counseling and testing and nutritition advice.
According to KIU’s deputy vice chancellor, Dr Janice Busingye, the university has dedicated itself to fighting depression among students.
“We have noted the prevalence of the problem among students and are studying how it manifests and how it can be handled, either through counseling or other treatment,” she said.
She explained the depression is characterized by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities around a person.
The law development centre (LDC) management committee has approved the graduation of at least 677 lawyers that were enrolled during the 2015/16 and 2014/15 academic years.
In a meeting held on April 5, the committee confirmed that the various lawyers had passed and qualified for the award of a diploma. Of the 677 lawyers, about 50 per cent are female.
Some 215 lawyers will receive a diploma in legal practice, 424 (diploma in law) and 38 will get diplomas in human rights. This will take place at the institution’s 44th graduation ceremony slated for April 21 at the LDC premises in Makerere. The attorney general, William Byaruhanga, has confirmed to be chief guest at the function.
Speaking to The Observer on April 6, Everest Turyahikayo, the LDC academic registrar, said the institution has registered a good overall performance, the best in the last five years. “The overall pass rate at the bar course is 52.4 per cent while for the diploma in law and human rights course is over 97 per cent,” Turyahikayo said.
He attributed the performance to infrastructural reforms at LDC that came with ICT equipment to enhance teaching in firm rooms and moot courts that help students reflect on exactly what happens in courtrooms.
BEST STUDENTS
At the ceremony, students who excelled from the three courses will be awarded by various law firms, LDC, Uganda Law Society, Uganda Human Rights Commission, the principal judge and the minister for public service.
On the 2015/16 postgraduate bar course, Turyahikayo said three students will be awarded. Charlotte Katuutu, the overall best student on the course with a 70.95 overall average will receive the chief justice's prize that comes with a set of relevant law books and a full set of the lawyer’s professional attire, among others.
She will be followed by Jemminah Mushabe (70.6 average)who will get the attorney general's prize and Augustine Akineza, who came third with an average of 70.4 will receive the principal judge's prize.
For diploma in law, the best students are Naboth Agaba (84.7), Andrew Gabengere (83.8) and Melach Kagumaho (81.6) while diploma in human rights best students are Faridah Semyano (81.0), Thomas Benson Oweka (80.0) and Yafes Okuwan (77.6).
Meanwhile, some 152 bar course students will not graduate after they failed special and supplementary exams.
“I have already communicated to these students and should come and pick the repeating guidelines. They are supposed to apply before July 31, this year to study in the 2017/18 academic year which commences in September this year,” Turyahikayo said.
Less than two years after they got a new vice chancellor, Cavendish University Uganda is embracing change again.
Prof John Mugisha has been appointed the vice chancellor, replacing Prof Esther Koi Tirima, who took the helm 16 months ago. She arrived at a time of upheaval at the university and has spent her time restructuring the institution.
After establishing some stability, the University Council chairperson, Prof Olubayi Olubayi, announced that the institution would now be headed by Prof Mugisha, who has been deputy vice chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs.
The new vice chancellor holds a PhD in Health Planning and Management from Keele University in England and is also a Makerere University alumnus.
Prof Olubayi Olubayi explained that the University Council had found that Prof Mugisha is ideally suited to continue the transformation of the university, as it enters a new development phase.
“Being a Ugandan national with international experience, he has innovative ideas to continue strengthening academics and to provide Uganda with one of its most modern universities,” he said.
In his acceptance speech, Prof Mugisha said he would work to renovate the current facilities and move the new ones to world-class standards.
On March 21, Kyambogo University students elected JOSEPH OCHIENG their guild president for the period 2017 – 2018. However, when Anthony Lam Ayebe met him last week, he came across a man struggling to get to grips with his office.
When I met him at Haniiz Grill Restaurant & Takeaway, last week, Ochieng was receiving various tips from Brian Arinaitwe, a friend. These include ideas on how to manage his incoming student cabinet; how to address student concerns and being a role model to the youth.
Ochieng formally replaced the former office bearer, Lawrence Lugalavu, last week, but says it remains a tough task, being guild president.
“Many students meet me but they still don’t believe that I’m their guild president … They have too many expectations,” Ochieng says.
Joseph Ochieng (L), the newly elected guild president at Kyambogo University being congragulated by Brian Arinaitwe, a fellow student
Those students are also shocked that they can’t find Ochieng on social media (Facebook, Twitter). I ask him why he is not visible on social media.
“I deactivated my accounts prior to launching my guild presidential campaigns,” he explains. “I’m careful about what information someone may find about me and, as result, I decided to take a break from social media.”
After becoming guild president, Ochieng says, he worried about how he will be perceived, after realizing that some of the promises he made in his manifesto may not be fulfilled.
But he says he has temporary remedy for now. “Joining hands with the students to change the university … it is each and everyone’s duty to play a role in transforming the campus,” he says. His first step will be to call a student assembly to find out critical issues affecting the students.
BACKGROUND
Joseph Ochieng was born to Charles and Margaret Othieno, the last in a family of six children in Tororo. He describes himself as humble and down to earth. He started school at Tororo Army primary school from P1 to P6 before sitting for his PLE at Namugongo Mixed primary school.
He would join St Kizito high school Namugongo for both O and A-levels. It was here that his leadership skills were harnessed, when he became head prefect for O-level and chief judge in A-level.
He is presently a second-year student on the Bachelor of Arts in Education programme, where students refer to him as Ochieng Ochieng. He explains that he was motivated to run for the guild presidency after he noticed that the outgoing cabinet had serious weaknesses in fulfilling student expectations, especially on electronic registration and general welfare.
“This inspired me to start a new movement for a brand new form of leadership to answer and address the student’s concerns and cries,” he explains. However, he notes that leadership has a way of humbling even the most ambitious.
“I realize that [good] leadership is built on the common man’s understanding of collective efforts in order to transform Kyambogo,” he adds.
Ochieng adds that he draws a lot of inspiration from his family, as they are always open, free and positive to any ambitions he would like to go for. Ochieng is hopeful about the future.
“Uganda will having a great generation with leaders … I see myself engaging in leadership roles and offering inspirational talks to students, youth who might be in need of it,” he offers.
His message of hope to the students of Kyambogo is a call for them to get ready and prepare for a great struggle for change as leadership is action, not a position.
His major inspirational quote, which he says has stayed with him for years, is, ‘when you drink water, remember the source as the well and maintain it well’.
Last week, the ministry of Education and Sports presented its final ministerial statement to parliament, which highlights some of the strategies to be reached in the coming fiscal year. MOSES TALEMWA has been looking at the statement and finds that the sector will continue work towards more infrastructure growth.
A year from now, Anna Kanyesigye will be in senior one. For now, she is looking at how to get through her primary school in Bundikahungu village in Bundibugyo district. And she is not the only one working to make progress.
Education minister Janet Museveni last week presented a ministerial statement for debate by Parliament, which indicates that more government primary schools like the one Kanyesigye goes to, will see some improvement in the 2017/18 budget.
If approved by the House, the budget will see the rehabilitation of 85 primary schools in deplorable state under Global Partnership Education and continuation with procurement of instructional materials.
The ministry also plans to vigorously undertake community engagements on key policy issues like school feeding and governance in primary schools through training and sensitization of school management committees.
Already, the primary subsector received Shs 2,447.66bn in the budget, of which Shs 1,378.66bn (56.3%) is for wages; Shs 482.19bn (19.7%) for non-wage; Shs 153.27bn (7.8%) for domestic development (all this from the local resource envelope) and Shs 396.92bn (16.2%) from donors.
Education minister Janet Museveni
In her presentation, the minister indicated that the subsector had seen increased monitoring of Early Childhood Development Centres (nursery schools) and primary schools to assess compliance with the set basic requirements and minimum standards.
There was also some support to primary teacher recruitment in local governments through procurement of instructional materials (textbooks) for P1 and P2 to primary schools, in an effort to improve the pupil-to-book ratio (PBR) to 5:1. A further Shs 800m was disbursed to the Teachers’ Sacco by the end of December 2016.
SECONDARY EDUCATION
This subsector will also see some construction, starting with the building of secondary schools in sub-counties without any. This will be taken from the limited seed capital under a transitional development grant for decentralized secondary development, to be provided in the next budget.
The subsector has suffered from a shortage of science teachers, and recruitment should start before the end of this year. There will also be some funding towards support supervision and monitoring of the Universal Secondary Education (USE) and non-USE schools.
Currently, the subsector has had to make do with a budget of Shs 15.904bn,which has been used to monitor 621 secondary schools; train 3,283 science and mathematics teachers under the SESEMAT programme; and induct newly appointed members of board of governors, newly promoted head teachers and newly promoted deputy head teachers, among others.
The sector also completed construction of classrooms and toilets at several schools across the country.
HIGHER EDUCATION
This subsector will see the Higher Education Students’ Financing Board (HESFB) supporting an additional 4,400 beneficiaries and the construction, rehabilitation and expansion of facilities in six public institutions under Higher Education Science and Technology (HEST) project.
There are plans for the construction of a classroom and hostel block at Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba, as the subsector works to support the Oil and Gas sector.
There are plans for a taskforce under Gulu University to plan the establishment of an agricultural college in Karamoja; carry out an academic audit; conduct research seminars and training; make publications; prepare and present research proposals for approval and funding; procure vehicles and equipment; and start new academic programmes in three new universities (Lira, Kabale and Soroti).
Presently, the subsector has been operating on an approved budget of Shs 157.07bn. With these funds, the sub-sector was able to: facilitate 3,799 students (2,725 male and 1,074 female) under the Higher Education Students' Financing Board (HESFB); continue with construction works of seven institutions; pay top-up allowances to 316 students studying abroad; and fund 130 PhD and 21 master's degree students, among others.
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
This is a huge and growing subsector embracing both formal and non-formal training in skills development, targeted at post O-level training. This sector will continue to see a lot of infrastructure development, mostly funded by donors, but also by the state.
There will, for instance, be a scale-up of non-formal skills training; continued facilitation of examination bodies (UBTEB, UNMEB, UAHEB); development of 120 sets of UVQF (non-formal education) assessment materials; inspection and accreditation of assessment centres; conducting four regional labour market scans; continuous assessment of 22,000 student nurses and midwives and 9,560 candidates in 46 institutions for 24 academic programmes, among others.
Presently, the sub-sector has been working with an approved budget of Shs 216.307bn. It was able to: develop level 1-3, theory and practical performance test items for non-formal education; develop curriculum for diploma in Electrical and Automobile; and train 63 BTVET instructors in a number of fields including management skills under continuous professional development (39 instructors are being trained locally in Uganda while 24 instructors are being trained in Japan).
There has also been construction and rehabilitation of facilities at several BTVET institutions (UCC Aduku, UCC Bushenyi, UTC Kyema, UTC Elgon, UTC Kichwamba, Hoima School of Nursing, Tororo Cooperative College, St Kizito Technical Institute and Butabika School of Psychiatric Nursing).
The sector also commenced the construction of a boys dormitory and staff quarter at Lake Katwe Technical Institute; completed architectural designs and bills of quantities for John Kale Institute of Science and Technology (in Kisoro); and supervised and finalized development of five institutional development plans for Uganda Technical College Kyema in Masindi, Kasese Youth Polytechnic in Kasese, St Joseph Vocational Technical Institute in Fort Portal, St Simon Vocational Technical Institute and Millennium Business School.
SPORTS SUBSECTOR
This subsector will see emphasis on civil works at the National High Altitude Training Centre (NHATC) in Teryet, Bukwo district. The subsector will also finalize the designs for Akii Bua stadium in Lira and kick-start civil works and provide support to national teams; support 32 sports centres of excellence; and enhance teaching of physical education in schools.
The subsector has been operating under an approved budget of Shs 12.21bn. With these funds, it was able to: support the Secondary Schools National Swimming Ball Games II and International Athletics Associations Federation championships; Primary Schools National Ball Games and SNL championship as well as the Uganda Cranes during preparations for Afcon qualifiers.
CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES
For students like Kanyesigye, this extensive construction should result in improved learning facilities in a year from now. However, there will be concerns for her younger sisters, who will hope for sanitary towels to make it into the 2018/2019 budget.
The sector will also hope to support some gender, environment and HIV/Aids prevention programmes. These will include programmes on sanitation and hygiene management practices, care guidance and counseling services as well as promote environment protection and conservation in schools.
If approved, the next budget will only see a marginal increment of Shs 26.58bn to Shs 2,474.24bn against the current allocation of Shs 2,447.66bn.
Out of this, Shs 1,455.86bn is budgeted for wage (58.8%); Shs 476.16bn (19.2%) for non-wage; Shs 153.27bn (6.2%) is government contribution and Shs 388.96bn (15.7%) is external financing.
The allocation represents a share of 11.25% of the overall resource envelope of Shs 21,993.16bn, which constitutes a decline of 0.73 percentage points from the sector budget share of 11.98% for FY 2016/17.
Budget experts say it is too early to look at the budget allocation. However, some like James Tweheyo of the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (Unatu) say the present allocation represents a continued investment in the future, with actual increments in salaries and causative factors for improvement of learning outcomes expected to come in future budgets.
”We are waiting to see how the parliament decides, however, we expect emphasis to be on improved infrastructure for the time being,” he said.
Police in Jinja has warned several schools for fomenting violence among students from neighbouring institutions.
This follows a three-week spate of fights among students from four secondary schools in Jinja. According to Kiira region police spokesperson, Samson Lubega, several students from Jinja SS, Jinja Progressive Academy, St Peter's SS and Jinja Modern SS have been involved in street fights that have left some hospitalized.
He reported that they had interviewed some of the victims, who admitted that they had been caught up in fights over their respective schools. Teachers involved in promoting school rivalries will be prosecuted.
“Though students carry the burden of indiscipline, there are some teachers [involved] in promoting violence among students but they shall be brought to book,” adds Lubega.
Lubega said the fights were also fomented by students who had been expelled from one school over issues in another.
“Some expelled students from the victimized schools created a group known as ‘black family’ which has made it a habit to attack the rest,” he reported. “Investigations on the school attacks are ongoing and we shall prosecute the perpetrators.”
Herman Kintu, a senior four student from Jinja SS, is a recent victim. He said colleagues attacked him on his way to school.
“I was heading to school on Wednesday when colleagues from the neighbouring school pulled me by the sleeves, took me inside their school premises and battered me. I was saved by police,” Kintu said.
Following the investigations, the police called a reconciliation meeting among school heads at the Jinja district headquarters, where some of the student leaders complained about calls of administrators blaming one another for nurturing unruly students.
“We all share the same students but at times our counterparts in other schools have ganged up their students in rivalry rather than academic matters," said
Michael Kifubangabo, who represented teachers from Jinja SS.
“We cannot entirely accuse sister schools of fueling student wars but [it is our duty] to sort out issues … these efforts have been frustrated by some few elements within us who cocoon with students for the wrong cause,” Kifubangabo said.
Several of his colleagues backed his comments and agreed to work to resolve the matter. Jinja Municipal Council principal education officer, Jonathan Kamwana pledged to hold the schools to their promises to ensure good discipline and self-respect among the students.
“I partly blame parents for their children’s ill-manners, but as the education department, we intend to end school fights by preaching self-respect and cooperation among our teachers,” Kamwana said.
Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (Ubteb) has signed a five-year memorandum of understanding with three organisations to ensure that education institutions produce skilled workforce.
Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on April 13, Ubteb executive secretary, Dr Onesimus Oyesigye, said the country needs to boost its income and employment with competent and self-reliant citizens.
“Every year, industry [captains] complain about the quality of our graduates. Now that we have employers of the graduates on board, we shall be able to produce ready products for the market,” Oyesigye said.
In line with the 2012/13 2021/22 Skilling Uganda strategy, Oyesigye said Ubteb would ensure that quality competence-based assessment is enhanced with the aim of producing skilled personnel for global and regional markets.
Ubteb executive secretary Onesmus Oyesigye signs the MOU as UGAPRIVI national chairperson Adrian Ndemere (2nd R) looks on
Ubteb signed the MOU with Uganda Manufacturers' Association (UMA), Uganda Association of Private Vocational Institutions (UGAPRIVI) and Coalition of Uganda Private School Teachers Association (COUPSTA).
UGAPRIVI national chairman Adrian Ndemere said the partnership had come at a time when several private institutions were graduating students every year with unaccredited programmes.
“As an association, we have 862 known private vocational institutions but also, over 300 don’t care to belong to any association or coalition,” Ndemere said. “These are institutions we need to help because they have good intentions to offer skills but are either not guided or get difficulties in registering for examination centers.”
During the ministry of education crackdown on illegal institutions early this year, at least two private institutions, Okwang technical vocational school and Central technical school in Otuke district, were closed.
According to Mubaraka Nkuutu Kirunda, the acting executive director of Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA), the MOU would help in developing skills of students at all education levels that are abreast with theory but lack practical and entrepreneurial skills.
“Whenever students graduate, we aim at jubilating with posh graduation parties for the same graduands that don’t have the right [skills] for the job market,” Nkuutu said, adding that the Buy Uganda Build Uganda policy will not be successful if institutions continue to churn out unemployable students that are not innovative.
Currently, UMA is undertaking a project in public universities where students are linked to various companies for about three months while on internship to improve their skills.
Nkuutu said this arrangement, which has seen at least 40 per cent of students retained by some companies, needs to be extended to private institutions by government.
COUPSTA executive director Patrick Kaboyo pledged to sensitise teachers on ensuring that beside the written homework given to learners, they are also engaged in practical projects to improve their skills.
Student leaders in higher institutions of learning have been urged to desist from inciting strikes in their respective institutions.
The call came through Dr Wilfred Nahamya, the deputy executive secretary, Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (Ubteb) during an address to guild presidents, prime ministers and Speakers to council of the various technical and tertiary institutions at Ubteb offices in Ntinda, Kampala.
Hahamya made the call came during a one-day leadership seminar by Ubteb in Kampala, where student leaders from tertiary and vocational schools. He acknowledged the influence of the student leaders in the institutions.
“You must use your positions to enhance the development of your institutions and the realization of your career and those of your friends.” Nahamya remarked.
He noted that sometimes the student leaders play to the gallery instead of providing direction to their fellow students on matters of interest to their schools.
“What, for example, does a shopkeeper in your neighbourhood have to do with your grievances at school that students should ransack his shop?” Dr Nahamya asked. “Why would a student in a higher institution vandalise window-and-door glasses of his very own lecture room?”
Nahamya emphasized that strikes do not only damage the reputation of the institution but also cause a disservice to learners, as the lost time would have been used to enhance their academic abilities.
He urged the leaders to always use amicable means to solve their challenges, as this would portray them as a people with a certain degree of maturity. The same call was also sounded by Dokolo North MP Paul Amoru, who asked the leaders to use the positions they hold to prove that they can be national leaders.
“You should be looking beyond the seats you hold now in your colleges; you can be councilors, members of parliament or even president, but that is only possible if you use your current offices to exhibit leadership,” the legislator said.
Amoru, who is a former guild president at Uganda Christian University, revealed that it was his guild office that laid ground for him to become a national politician.
He encouraged the student leaders to learn from people who have managed to lead their institutions without strikes. Amoru, also appealed to management of institutions to nurture leaders by building their capacity in leadership.
“Institutions ought not to stifle the capability of students to engage in leadership because participating in school politics exposes them to what leadership entails,” he charged. “You find an institution not allowing their students to engage in leadership; that is bad.”
