The Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Mondo Kagonyera has called upon the government to change the system under which students are awarded government scholarships to study at university.
Professors Mondo Kagonyera and Venacius Baryamureba confer at the makerere graduation ceremony
He says the government funding should ensure that bright but less financially able graduates are able to attend university education.
Prof. Kagonyera says the current government sponsorship scheme that sponsors students based on merit of their performance in advanced level exams has benefited students from rich families who are able to take their students to Grade A schools that produce better grades.
He said this while presiding over Makerere University’s 61st graduation ceremony. The weeklong event will see a total of 13,296 students awarded diplomas and degrees in different disciplines.
See the different Uganda government sponsorship schemes
Kagonyera says the current government sponsorship scheme is increasing the gap between the rich and poor in Uganda and needs to be reversed if Uganda is to attain equitable development.
President Yoweri Museveni recently said the government has finalised plans for a loan scheme that will offer soft loans to students to pay for their university education and pay back after they get employment.
The government currently offers 4,000 scholarships every year to students to study in public universities including Gulu University, Makerere Univesity, Kyambogo University, Busitema University and Mbarara University of Science and technology.
During the same graduation function, the University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Venasius Baryamureeba said the university is implementing several reforms to improve research and teaching at the university, as well the live of its students.
Other major highlights
- 6,495 of the 13,296 graduates are females (48.8%)
- 236 are being awarded first-class degrees.
- Students now receiving transcripts at or before graduation
Official list of Makerere graduands on Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Monday 17th: Agric, Forestry, Pub Health, MUIENR, CHS, SCI, TECH, VETMED
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Tuesday 18th: MTSIFA, EASLIS, ISAE, School of Education
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Wednesday 19th: Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Economics and Management
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Thursday 20th: MUBS, IACE, Institute of Psychology
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Friday 21st: FCIT, Faculty of Laws, Social Sciences
PDF Version, Postscript Version