Education
CEES, Jesuit Refugee Services Launch Scholarships for Refugees, Asylum Seekers & Vulnerable Women
Makerere University School of Education has partnered with Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS), to offer scholarships to refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable women.
28 candidates will benefit during the first year of this arrangement.
This development was actualized by the Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the JRS leadership led by its Country Representative Ms. Christina Zetlemeisl and Mr. Yusuf Kiranda the Makerere University Secretary.
“As long as one falls in the above category, they will benefit, in all courses whether science or arts,” Zetlemeisl said.
The scholarship will cover tuition and functional fees.
“We emphasize the need to extend education services to all people. Every child has a right to education as conveyed in the convention for Children’s rights and the Sustainable Development Goal 4, which calls for universal access to education,” she added.
Uganda is currently a home to 1.4 million refugees leaving in different camps and urban areas, according to the 2018 report of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). The report further reveals that over 100,000 refugees are leaving in different urban areas of Kampala.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Kiranda expressed gratitude to JRS for the opportunity given to refugees and asylum seekers whose dreams tend to be shuttered because of instabilities and financial challenges.
“We all need to build broader reception for refugees because any of us is a potential refugee,” he said
Makerere University, he said is a public University which should offer services to the entire public, including PWDs, without discrimination on basis of sex, race, color or political affiliations.
“This initiative by JRS is good because it complements our goal and will help the under privileged women, refugees and asylum seekers access quality education. We are all what we are because of education. Many years back we used to do casual work to get our tuition but see how education has changed us. We want the same for our refugee community,” he said.
Prof. Antony Mugagga Muwagga, the Principal of the College of Education and External Studies said the initiative will help students who would like to access University education but are struggling in life.
“I want to implore our students to desist from abusing these scholarships. Use this time to work hard because the people who donate this money for your tuition make sacrifices,” he said.
John Mary Kisembo, the JRS Project Director said that selection criteria of the beneficiaries will be announced after the concerned team finalizing with it.
The Dean of the School of Education, Assoc. Prof. Mathias Mulumba Bwanika, appreciated JRS for the generosity and pledged the school’s commitment to implementing the MoU.
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Government through the Ministry of Education and Sports has been called upon to find ways of popularizing the subject of art and crafts in lower and higher secondary education.
Prof. Anthony Muggaga, the Principal of the College of Education and External Studies at Makerere University, said yesterday that the government should explore measures including making the subject compulsory.
“We should have at least a module for one term like we have General Paper or computer,” he said.
Prof. Mugagga believes that without popularizing Fine Art, the education sector will continue churning out students who lack critical thinking.
“Fine Art is what will cultivate a critical mindset amongst our learners. That is why we encourage children in nursery school to draw; we are trying to bring out what is in their minds,” he said.
“It is the same reason that art is considered therapy for mental health patients. When they draw, they express what is taking place in their minds.”
Prof. Mugagga was speaking at the launch of the findings of the pilot report for the Visual Arts Curriculum Review.
Dr Julius Ssegantebuka from Makerere University College of Education and External Studies and the lead researchers said the curriculum review project is intended to prepare secondary school art and design teachers, by equipping them with practical skills and values that match the modern world.
“During this second phase of the project, we had trial lectures and discussions with the teachers. We also embarked on removing obsolete content and replaced it with new content and also separated some of the art disciplines that were formally combined,” he said.
The updated curriculum he said, puts emphasis on research, group discussions, and field studies among others.
Speaking as chief guest at the launch, Dr Grace K Baguma, the Director National Curriculum Development Center commended the initiative.
“I commend Dr Ssegantebuka and the team for this initiative, which is aimed at contributing to the development of quality curricula that employ modern pedagogies that respond to societal needs,” she said.
On her part, Dr Moreen Muwanga from Kyambogo University called for the integration of ICT in the teaching of visual arts.
“Many of us have a phobia of handling a computer. Yet the students we are teaching are flexible and conversant with ICT,” she said.
The Acting Vice Chancellor, Assoc. Prof. Umar Kakumba has welcomed a delegation from the German Adult Education Association (DVV International) led by the Board Chair Hon. Martin Rabanus. The delegation was in the country to assess the impact of their partnership with Makerere University and the community.
DVV International and Makerere University, Department of Adult and Community Education have been partners since 1986.
The support has been in the areas of teaching and learning. DVV International supported the development and launch of the Master of Adult and Community Education (MACE) in 2007. Makerere University has since graduated many who now work as lecturers in Higher Institutions of Learning, programme managers, development workers, adult education trainers and so on. Before then, DVV International was supporting undergraduate students of the Bachelor of Adult and Community Education (BACE) with financial support towards internships and practical training during the Recess term of Year 2.
Speaking in his office on April 15, 2024, Assoc. Prof. Kakumba appreciated the Germany government for the support over the years. Saying through this support Makerere has continued to foster adult education by settling up Adult Education centres in Lira and Mbale for this purpose.
DVV International has over time supported staff in the area of research and publications. Some of the beneficiaries include Dr. Stella Achen, Dr. Twine Banakuka, among others. In early 1990s the organization helped to renovate the building housing adult and community education. The organization has also previously supported staff to acquire Masters and PhDs.
Prof. Kakumba appealed to Hon. Martin Rabanus to consider renewing the MoU between the two institutions in an effort to continue training adult educators.
Hon. Martin Rabanus applauded Makerere University for the achievements obtained so far and the contribution the partnership has enabled. “We are happy that we were able to provide adults an opportunity for them to get a certificate and improve their lives,” he said. “Thank you for the corporation for the last 40 years.”
Present in the meeting were the Principal of College of Education and External Studies(CEES), Prof. Anthony Mugagga, the Dean of the School of Distance and Lifelong Learning, Dr. Harriet Nabushawo and Dr. Stella Achen – Head of Department, Adult and Community Education.
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