Girls’ hopes fade as Carnegie scholarship expires
Sep 11, 2007
THE extension of the Female Scholarship Initiative (FSI) at Makerere University, which has benefited 600 females since its introduction in 2001, is hanging in the balance.
By Alice Emasu and Stephen Ssenkaaba
THE extension of the Female Scholarship Initiative (FSI) at Makerere University, which has benefited 600 females since its introduction in 2001, is hanging in the balance.
The desk officer in charge of FSI, Susan Mbabazi, said the scholarship, which was introduced to increase female enrolment, especially in science disciplines at the university, would not be renewed when it expires in 2009/2010.
Ritah Nabiryo, a third-year student of Industrial and Fine Art at Makerere, is not happy that the Carnegie-funded scholarship, of which she has been a beneficiary, would soon be no more.
Nabiryo expresses sorrow, not because she will personally be affected, but because the expiry of the scheme is likely to be a backlash in efforts to improve access to university education to many bright, but poor and needy females.
Having joined Makerere in October 2005, Nabiryo was in the second last lot of beneficiaries of the scheme which targets female students who qualify to be admitted to the university on private scheme, but are likely to lose the opportunity because they cannot pay the fees.
Reflecting on the rigorous process she went through to get the scholarship, she is only too happy to have been one of the few successful applicants. “We were over 1,000 applicants. They took us through lots of interviews. They went to our villages to establish if we were genuinely needy. Only 150 of us were successful,†she says.
Nabiryo says the scholarship which covers tuition, accommodation fees and sh100,000 for pocket money per semester has enabled her realise her dream. “Our sponsors are like parents. They have been there for me and all the other beneficiaries,†she says.
Through the scheme, Nabiryo has also met new people and learnt lots of new things. She has benefited from workshops on various important topics on gender and development. “After graduating, they could help us to secure jobs. I wish the sponsors could renew the scheme,†she says.
Mbabazi expresses fear that another scholarship scheme, targeting women diploma holders working for the local government is also likely to be affected due to lack of sponsorship. She says although the objectives of both scholarships are similar, the Women Diploma Holders Scheme is also meant to increase the number of women who can act as role models in their respective communities. A total of 25 women have benefited from this particular scheme which was introduced in 2004.
Currently, the female enrolment at Makerere has shot up to 47.5% from 25% in the early 1980s, compared to their male counterparts at 53% from 85%. Fewer women are pursuing science-related courses (less than 20% as compared to 75% for males).
“We are yet to achieve the objectives of both scholarships. We still have a long way to go because the percentages of female enrolment, compared to that of men, is still very low,†Mbabazi adds.
She, however, notes that whereas the schemes may not be continued under the Carnegie and Makerere’s six-year partnership, the gender mainstreaming programme, which included a review of the university curricular, building the capacity of female staff and the gender mainstreaming division, would continue because these are being funded by the Norwegian government and Swedish International Development Agency.
John Wabwire, the director for the Planning and Development Department of Makerere, in an interview, said the Carnegie Corporation has supported 20 projects in the different departs of the university.
Prof Nelson Sewankambo, the chairperson of the partnership, who is also the dean of the Faculty of Medicine, said the first phase of the partnership started in 2001 and ended in 2004. “The 2nd phase will end in September 2007. The partnership is a three-year cycle programme. We are not sure if Carnegie will entertain Makerere’s request for funding a third phase, but we pray that it does,†he says.
Makerere received a total of $5.9m (about sh9.6b) and another $2m (about sh3.2b) for the female scholarship programmes during the period, Sewankambo says.
According to Evelyn Nyakoojo, the senior assistant registrar at the Gender Mainstreaming Division at Makerere, initially 70% of the FSI beneficiaries were meant for sciences, but because it was not possible to realise the number, it was extended to benefit more students of Arts.
She says the schemes are in line with the Government’s education policy to increase the number of scientists in the country.
“We think that the women with these diplomas should return to school and after completing, they should go back to work within their communities as role models for other women. Having these women study degree courses is a motivation for most women at the district who think that they cannot study anymore,†says Nyakoojo.
All hope for gender mainstreaming programmes at Makerere is not lost. Some of the divisions programmes, particularly in the area of gender mainstreaming, such as building the capacity of the women staff at Makerere, will continue. So far under this programme, five and another 10 women have been sponsored for masters and PhD degrees respectively. Most of the women are studying from within the country.
“We are planning to engage the corporate world and other donors to support some of these Carnegie-sponsored programmes that are phasing out. We are aware that they would expire at some point because Carnegie expects us to be able to sustain the programmes after the agreed period,†Mababazi says.
THE extension of the Female Scholarship Initiative (FSI) at Makerere University, which has benefited 600 females since its introduction in 2001, is hanging in the balance.
The desk officer in charge of FSI, Susan Mbabazi, said the scholarship, which was introduced to increase female enrolment, especially in science disciplines at the university, would not be renewed when it expires in 2009/2010.
Ritah Nabiryo, a third-year student of Industrial and Fine Art at Makerere, is not happy that the Carnegie-funded scholarship, of which she has been a beneficiary, would soon be no more.
Nabiryo expresses sorrow, not because she will personally be affected, but because the expiry of the scheme is likely to be a backlash in efforts to improve access to university education to many bright, but poor and needy females.
Having joined Makerere in October 2005, Nabiryo was in the second last lot of beneficiaries of the scheme which targets female students who qualify to be admitted to the university on private scheme, but are likely to lose the opportunity because they cannot pay the fees.
Reflecting on the rigorous process she went through to get the scholarship, she is only too happy to have been one of the few successful applicants. “We were over 1,000 applicants. They took us through lots of interviews. They went to our villages to establish if we were genuinely needy. Only 150 of us were successful,†she says.
Nabiryo says the scholarship which covers tuition, accommodation fees and sh100,000 for pocket money per semester has enabled her realise her dream. “Our sponsors are like parents. They have been there for me and all the other beneficiaries,†she says.
Through the scheme, Nabiryo has also met new people and learnt lots of new things. She has benefited from workshops on various important topics on gender and development. “After graduating, they could help us to secure jobs. I wish the sponsors could renew the scheme,†she says.
Mbabazi expresses fear that another scholarship scheme, targeting women diploma holders working for the local government is also likely to be affected due to lack of sponsorship. She says although the objectives of both scholarships are similar, the Women Diploma Holders Scheme is also meant to increase the number of women who can act as role models in their respective communities. A total of 25 women have benefited from this particular scheme which was introduced in 2004.
Currently, the female enrolment at Makerere has shot up to 47.5% from 25% in the early 1980s, compared to their male counterparts at 53% from 85%. Fewer women are pursuing science-related courses (less than 20% as compared to 75% for males).
“We are yet to achieve the objectives of both scholarships. We still have a long way to go because the percentages of female enrolment, compared to that of men, is still very low,†Mbabazi adds.
She, however, notes that whereas the schemes may not be continued under the Carnegie and Makerere’s six-year partnership, the gender mainstreaming programme, which included a review of the university curricular, building the capacity of female staff and the gender mainstreaming division, would continue because these are being funded by the Norwegian government and Swedish International Development Agency.
John Wabwire, the director for the Planning and Development Department of Makerere, in an interview, said the Carnegie Corporation has supported 20 projects in the different departs of the university.
Prof Nelson Sewankambo, the chairperson of the partnership, who is also the dean of the Faculty of Medicine, said the first phase of the partnership started in 2001 and ended in 2004. “The 2nd phase will end in September 2007. The partnership is a three-year cycle programme. We are not sure if Carnegie will entertain Makerere’s request for funding a third phase, but we pray that it does,†he says.
Makerere received a total of $5.9m (about sh9.6b) and another $2m (about sh3.2b) for the female scholarship programmes during the period, Sewankambo says.
According to Evelyn Nyakoojo, the senior assistant registrar at the Gender Mainstreaming Division at Makerere, initially 70% of the FSI beneficiaries were meant for sciences, but because it was not possible to realise the number, it was extended to benefit more students of Arts.
She says the schemes are in line with the Government’s education policy to increase the number of scientists in the country.
“We think that the women with these diplomas should return to school and after completing, they should go back to work within their communities as role models for other women. Having these women study degree courses is a motivation for most women at the district who think that they cannot study anymore,†says Nyakoojo.
All hope for gender mainstreaming programmes at Makerere is not lost. Some of the divisions programmes, particularly in the area of gender mainstreaming, such as building the capacity of the women staff at Makerere, will continue. So far under this programme, five and another 10 women have been sponsored for masters and PhD degrees respectively. Most of the women are studying from within the country.
“We are planning to engage the corporate world and other donors to support some of these Carnegie-sponsored programmes that are phasing out. We are aware that they would expire at some point because Carnegie expects us to be able to sustain the programmes after the agreed period,†Mababazi says.