Bukalasa graduates told to look beyond government jobs

LUWEERO - Graduates from colleges and universities have been advised to take advantage of the vast employment opportunities in the private sector rather than relying solely on the public sector.

According to the State Minister for Animal Husbandry, Bright Rwamirama, the Government can only employ around 550,000 people out of Uganda’s current population of 46 million.

“You are aware that the population of Uganda is about 46 million. The public sector can only employ 550,000, meaning that the rest have to be employed in the private sector,” Rwamirama said while in Luweero on May 16, 2025.

He made the remarks while presiding over the 59th graduation ceremony of Bukalasa Agricultural College. The ceremony, held at the college campus in Luweero, saw a total of 1,606 graduands awarded diplomas and certificates in agriculture-related disciplines.

The 1,606 graduands included those from last year and a backlog from 2023.

Rwamirama said the role of the Government has evolved from being the primary employer to becoming a facilitator of employment by encouraging the development of a dynamic and robust private sector.

He encouraged the agricultural graduates to harness the wide range of opportunities in the private sector to foster innovation, drive economic growth, and create sustainable livelihoods.

He said the agricultural sector offers numerous avenues for enterprising individuals to explore and capitalise on, particularly along the value chains. “We need to open our minds along these opportunities,” he said.

Rwamirama urged the fresh graduates to become transformative leaders by applying their skills, values, and experiences in the communities where they will settle.

“It is very important today that you have achieved diplomas and certificates, but what is more important is what you are going to do with them,” he said.

He commended the management of Bukalasa Agricultural College for producing hands-on graduates who are assessed both in the classroom and on the farm.

“You need to assess these students from farms and not from blackboards only. They need to go out,” he said.

He said the Ministry of Agriculture will continue to support Bukalasa both administratively and financially so that the college continues to produce the practical agricultural skills needed for economic transformation.

The Commissioner for Animal Health, Rose Anne Ademun, said the diploma and certificate graduates will play an instrumental role as change agents when they interact with farming communities.

“These are the people that are going to make a difference when they associate with the farming communities,” she said.

Ademun said Bukalasa Agricultural College, Uganda’s leading agricultural training institution, is a vital element in the development of the country’s agricultural sector.

The principal of Bukalasa Agricultural College, Gilvan Kisolo, said the college’s training approach emphasises hands-on experience through field practice, on-farm training, classroom work, and demonstrations.

Kisolo noted that in addition to the existing programmes, the college has this year introduced a short course for greenhouse technicians and greenhouse supervisors.

He added that the college is working in collaboration with the private sector to ensure that students gain field experience and access vital resources.

Among other achievements, Kisolo said the college had improved its internet infrastructure, upgraded security systems, and installed a power supply on the college farm.

The principal also reported that the animal feed mill and juice processing plant had been operationalised.

However, he also highlighted several challenges the college faces, including a worn-out college bus that is no longer suitable for transporting students for field practicals.

Kisolo further noted that the college lacked adequate staff and a perimeter wall to protect against intruders.

Bukalasa Agricultural College, Uganda’s only diploma-awarding public agricultural training institution, started as a cotton breeding centre in 1920 before transforming into an agricultural training institution in the 1950s.

In 2019, Bukalasa was elevated to a Centre of Excellence for agricultural training under the World Bank-funded Uganda Skills Development Project (USDP).

The upgrading project, which was implemented by the Ministry of Education with guidance from Dalhousie University of Canada, included the development of a new competency-based curriculum that is more practical and aligned with the needs of employers.

Bukalasa has also signed a formal agreement with Dalhousie University, whereby graduates who wish to pursue further studies are granted direct admission without interviews.

Dalhousie University also participated in formulating the new competency-based curriculum that is currently being implemented.

The funding for the college’s upgrading came in the form of a World Bank loan administered by the Ministry of Education under the USDP project.

In implementing the USDP programme, Bukalasa is networking with three sister colleges: Rwentanga Farm Institute, Sesse Farm Institute, and Kaberamaido Technical Institute.