State House stops bursaries
THE State House Scholarship Scheme is being gradually phased out, State House Comptroller Richard Muhinda has said.
By Mary Karugaba
THE State House Scholarship Scheme is being gradually phased out, State House Comptroller Richard Muhinda has said.
Muhinda said a programme where President Yoweri Museveni educates two needy students from each district in northern Uganda would replace the scheme.
Appearing before the MPs on the public accounts committee on Thursday, Muhinda noted that: “We have decided to phase out what many call the State House scholarships. The President’s pledge begins this financial year.â€
He noted that the criteria for selecting the students would be determined by the district leaders.
However, Muhinda did not explain at what education level the scheme would begin, adding that students who were already in school would be allowed to continue benefiting from the scheme up to the university.
The committee, chaired by Nandala Mafabi, had asked Muhinda to explain the criteria used to select the beneficiaries of the State House scheme and to produce a list of the beneficiaries for scrutiny.
However, Muhinda refused to produce the list saying it’s a presidential private issue.
“State House scholarships are a presidential initiative to help unprivileged orphans of dead soldiers and others get education. It is a private list. Why should we expose it to the public?†he asked.
Muhinda proposed that the committee summons the Minister for the Presidency to explain.
“The minister at one time made a statement in Parliament and insisted that the list is a private issue. We cannot contradict her. I request that you call her again.â€
Quoting Article 93 of the Constitution, Mafabi gave Muhinda one week to produce the list. The article gives Parliament committees the power to enforce the production of documents.
Muhinda was also given one week to account for sh1.6b that was missing in the account books.
THE State House Scholarship Scheme is being gradually phased out, State House Comptroller Richard Muhinda has said.
Muhinda said a programme where President Yoweri Museveni educates two needy students from each district in northern Uganda would replace the scheme.
Appearing before the MPs on the public accounts committee on Thursday, Muhinda noted that: “We have decided to phase out what many call the State House scholarships. The President’s pledge begins this financial year.â€
He noted that the criteria for selecting the students would be determined by the district leaders.
However, Muhinda did not explain at what education level the scheme would begin, adding that students who were already in school would be allowed to continue benefiting from the scheme up to the university.
The committee, chaired by Nandala Mafabi, had asked Muhinda to explain the criteria used to select the beneficiaries of the State House scheme and to produce a list of the beneficiaries for scrutiny.
However, Muhinda refused to produce the list saying it’s a presidential private issue.
“State House scholarships are a presidential initiative to help unprivileged orphans of dead soldiers and others get education. It is a private list. Why should we expose it to the public?†he asked.
Muhinda proposed that the committee summons the Minister for the Presidency to explain.
“The minister at one time made a statement in Parliament and insisted that the list is a private issue. We cannot contradict her. I request that you call her again.â€
Quoting Article 93 of the Constitution, Mafabi gave Muhinda one week to produce the list. The article gives Parliament committees the power to enforce the production of documents.
Muhinda was also given one week to account for sh1.6b that was missing in the account books.