Uganda Technology and Management University (UTAMU) has promised to start offering scholarships to bright but unprivileged Ugandan students.
The Initiative which will kick off in the Academic year 2020/2021 was announced by the University Chairperson Board of Directors Professor Venansius Baryamureba during the 5th UTAMU Graduation ceremony which was held at the Silver Springs Hotel Bugolobi.
Baryamureba noted that there are many Ugandan students who are bright but they cannot afford to pay for their higher education since they come from poor families.
“As a University, our major role is to build Human capital development. For the country to achieve that, all Ugandan students should be given chance to acquire Higher Education.
“Currently, it is impossible. Many students have failed to join Universities because of financial constraints that is why UTAMU Board has decided that the University starts to offer some scholarships to such students said Baryamureeba.
While delivering a keynote address during the graduation Architecture Emeka Okoye the President and Chief Executive Officer of GTI Group said for Africa to transform, there’s need for African Universities to offer Education that can support students to become job creators.
“All Universities programs should focus on supporting the younger people to be job creators. This will solve this current modern slavery. It is very absurd to see younger Africans crossing seas to the Middle East looking for job where they end up into slavery,” said Okoye.
He added by cautioning African Governments to invest more resources in Vocational Education where he said have the capacity to produce job creators as compared to the current Education system which most African Countries have adopted.
Uganda’s Vice President H.E Edward Ssekandi applauded the management of UTAMU University for teaching courses that are demand driven. He said for Uganda to develop, it needs Human capitals that can support the social and Economic transformation of its society.
“Focusing on Science courses is the key towards supporting the transformation of our country. “We need more Universities to teach science courses that’s is when we shall manage to utilize the little resources we have as a country to support Economic transformation,” said Sekandi.
UTAMU University Chancellor Dr. Stephen Kalonzo Mushyoka used the occasion to call upon East African Community states to desists from engaging in internal conflicts which he said may affect the spirit of togetherness.
During the 5th Graduation ceremony a total of 243 students graduated in different programs ranging from Masters, Bachelors, Diplomas and post graduate Diplomas from the fields of Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Public Administration, and Information Technology among other fields.
BY SAMUEL NABWIISO
