750 needy students to get bursaries
Dec 21, 2010
A BOUT 750 needy students will benefit from government bursaries next year as one of the activities under the Post Primary Education and Training Expansion and Improvement Project.
By Ronald Kalyango
A BOUT 750 needy students will benefit from government bursaries next year as one of the activities under the Post Primary Education and Training Expansion and Improvement Project.
The scheme, to cost about sh2bn, is part of the $84.2M, loan which the Government acquired from the African Development Fund to finance ADB-IV funded projects in 2009.
The scheme will be implemented by Forum for African Woman Educationalists (FAWE) Uganda chapter and will target children that have completed Primary Seven and Senior Four.
FAWE-U programme manager Dorothy Muhumure, while addressing head teachers, boards of directors, boards of governors and district education officers at Namboole stadium conference hall on Tuesday said the bursaries will benefit all the 112 districts in Uganda.
The two-day workshop aimed at sensitising stakeholders about ADB-IV projects in the 59 beneficiary institutions.
Of the 750 bursaries, 672, will be distributed per district, translating into six sponsored students per district.
The remaining 78 bursaries will be competed for nationally, 38 for children that excel in sports and performing arts and 40 for students with special needs.
“Seventy five percent of the scholarships will be allocated to girls, while 25% will be boys and 90% of the scholarships will be allocated to secondary education and 10% for Business, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (BTVET),†said Muhumure. For secondary education, 60% of the bursaries will be for O’level students (405 students) while 40% will go to A’ level (270 students).
Muhumure said beneficiaries will be enrolled at any of the 44 selected centres of excellence (42 secondary schools and two BTVET institutions).
A total of sh267,000 per term will be paid to the participating schools, while sh237,000 will be paid for BTVET students.
The scheme will also provide students with sh25,000 to cater for basic scholastic materials.
“O’ level students will be supported for four years, and A-level and BTVET students for two years,†Muhumure said.
Under the agreement signed with the education ministry, FAWEU is mandated to announce the availability of the bursaries in newspapers, both English and local languages, and through radio talk shows.
“Applications shall be collected in the office of the district education officer and applicants must sign upon submission of the application,†said Muhumure.
After, preliminary selections will be done by a selected team from FAWEU and the education ministery. This will be followed by a verification exercise and then final award of deserving children.
Vulnerable children, such as orphans without able relatives or who may have other responsibilities and are not willing to assist will be considered most.
In addition, performance depending on the nature, or type of school where the child sat the national examinations from, HIV/AIDS affected and infected, family economic status at the time of applying for the bursary will also be considered.
Also, students from child-headed homes, for example, orphans being supported by fellow siblings who are also orphans, war affected children and children with special needs and those that excel in sports and performing arts will be considered.
The scheme will also build capacity for 355 teachers and head teachers on being gender-responsive.
A BOUT 750 needy students will benefit from government bursaries next year as one of the activities under the Post Primary Education and Training Expansion and Improvement Project.
The scheme, to cost about sh2bn, is part of the $84.2M, loan which the Government acquired from the African Development Fund to finance ADB-IV funded projects in 2009.
The scheme will be implemented by Forum for African Woman Educationalists (FAWE) Uganda chapter and will target children that have completed Primary Seven and Senior Four.
FAWE-U programme manager Dorothy Muhumure, while addressing head teachers, boards of directors, boards of governors and district education officers at Namboole stadium conference hall on Tuesday said the bursaries will benefit all the 112 districts in Uganda.
The two-day workshop aimed at sensitising stakeholders about ADB-IV projects in the 59 beneficiary institutions.
Of the 750 bursaries, 672, will be distributed per district, translating into six sponsored students per district.
The remaining 78 bursaries will be competed for nationally, 38 for children that excel in sports and performing arts and 40 for students with special needs.
“Seventy five percent of the scholarships will be allocated to girls, while 25% will be boys and 90% of the scholarships will be allocated to secondary education and 10% for Business, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (BTVET),†said Muhumure. For secondary education, 60% of the bursaries will be for O’level students (405 students) while 40% will go to A’ level (270 students).
Muhumure said beneficiaries will be enrolled at any of the 44 selected centres of excellence (42 secondary schools and two BTVET institutions).
A total of sh267,000 per term will be paid to the participating schools, while sh237,000 will be paid for BTVET students.
The scheme will also provide students with sh25,000 to cater for basic scholastic materials.
“O’ level students will be supported for four years, and A-level and BTVET students for two years,†Muhumure said.
Under the agreement signed with the education ministry, FAWEU is mandated to announce the availability of the bursaries in newspapers, both English and local languages, and through radio talk shows.
“Applications shall be collected in the office of the district education officer and applicants must sign upon submission of the application,†said Muhumure.
After, preliminary selections will be done by a selected team from FAWEU and the education ministery. This will be followed by a verification exercise and then final award of deserving children.
Vulnerable children, such as orphans without able relatives or who may have other responsibilities and are not willing to assist will be considered most.
In addition, performance depending on the nature, or type of school where the child sat the national examinations from, HIV/AIDS affected and infected, family economic status at the time of applying for the bursary will also be considered.
Also, students from child-headed homes, for example, orphans being supported by fellow siblings who are also orphans, war affected children and children with special needs and those that excel in sports and performing arts will be considered.
The scheme will also build capacity for 355 teachers and head teachers on being gender-responsive.