How Muhamad rose from classroom teacher to PhD holder

KAMPALA - Aisa Muhamad is a long-serving teacher and beacon of hope.

Her zealous personality endeared her to many as she built her career, spanning 38 years of improving educational outcomes while helping needy students acquire quality education.

Since 1986 when she first graduated, Muhamad has taught History and Geography in several schools where she rose through the ranks to her current role of lecturer and head teacher at Entebbe parents’ secondary school located in Entebbe municipality, Wakiso district.

Despite the demanding career and parenting responsibilities, Muhamad has relentlessly pursued further education in order to enrich her expertise and serve better.

On October 26, 2024, she will graduate with PhD in educational management at Nkumba University, a milestone that has taken her seven years of hard work, patience and resilience. She still dreads the COVID-19 lockdowns that led to the closure of schools and brought her research to a halt.

“It was difficult to collect data from closed schools and this in a way, prolonged my journey from three to seven years,” she says.

Muhamad started off her education journey in 1970 at Air Force Primary School before joining Gayaza High School for her O levels which she completed in 1980.

In 1983 she did her A levels at Kibuli SS after which she enrolled at the former Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo (ITEK) currently Kyambogo University for a diploma in Education.

Much as this qualification got a job, she still wanted more. In 1993, she pursued a bachelor of education at Makerere University and in 2015, she received a master’s in education from Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) before enrolling for a PHD in 2017, her study; was Rewards Management and Performance of Teachers in Uganda. 

A case study of the selected secondary schools in the Central Region of Uganda.

The PHD got her a lecturing job at St. Lawrence University.

However, in her career journey, Muhamad taught at Kilembe SS, Entebbe SS, Lukalu SS and Entebbe Parents SS where she has served for 20 years.

“I choose to become a teacher to help needy children complete school. Wherever I serve I ensure the school offers bursaries to students from humble homes,” she says.

Meanwhile, she hopes to leverage this PhD to become an exceptional consultant, prolific lecturer and manager.

On where she got the Inspiration, she says aside from her passion for providing quality education and management, her cousin Dr. Yahaya Doka, and son Dr. Iddi Ndyabawe inspired her to pursue the PhD.

Doka holds a PhD in economics while Ndyabawe is an ophthalmologist and retinopathy of prematurity specialist working in different hospitals.

To PhD aspirants

To those aspiring to enrol for PhD, Muhamad advises that you be serious and determined.

You will sometimes be forced to forgo weekend functions like parties and concentrate on research until you complete it.

Also, seek advice from your supervisors and colleagues in the same field and ensure to get a research assistant who is knowledgeable on things like statistical packages. Most important, put your trust in God and collect the data yourself.