Enrolment in public universities grows in Uganda, new report

EDUCATION|ENROLMENT|UNIVERSITIES

The enrolment of students in public has gone up, according to the latest education sector review report by the ministry of education. 

The report shows that there has been a 17% increase in enrolment in nine public universities from 90,359 in the financial year 2018/19 to 105,988 in the financial year 2019/20. 

The number of students includes both government and private students. 

This has been a great jump from the handful of students who joined the original scratch of the start of the country's biggest public university; Makerere University. 

Late in 1921, local education advocates had established a school to teach basic carpentry and mechanics in a temporary location on Makerere Hill in Kampala, which was the colonial capital.

Then the British governor of Uganda Robert Coryndon also proposed building a technical school for Africans. It was accepted by the Colonial Office and the Imperial Treasury in London.

The British colonial government then decided to make the carpentry and mechanics school site established earlier, the permanent location of Makerere College School. 

By the end of 1922, the first class of 14 students began their training — seven in carpentry and another seven in auto mechanics.

By 1925, there were 76 students enrolled in Makerere College to receive vocational training. 

It was between 1935 and 1940 that British governor Philip Mitchell proposed moving Makerere beyond vocational training and expanding it to become the centre for higher education in British East Africa.

It would cover Kenya, Tanganyika (now Tanzania), Zanzibar and Uganda. In 1937, Makerere began offering post-high school certificates. 

However, the University of London refused to certify Makerere University's curriculum yet this process was crucial to its legitimacy as a post-secondary institution. 

Finally, in 1949 Makerere University was affiliated to the University of London and granted university status. 

From one public university that started in 1922, Uganda today boasts of 53 universities; nine of them public and 44 private.

Growth of higher education 

These were Ndejje University, Nkumba University, Kumi University, Bugema University, Uganda Martyrs University, Uganda Christian University and Busoga University whose license was revoked.

In the 2000s, seven more public universities were set up by the Government and another 36 private universities were established, increasing access to university education in Uganda. 

As of 2017/2018, private universities increased by three to 44, according to the executive director of the National Council for Higher Education (NHCE), Prof. Mary Okwakol.

In a report on higher education delivery and institutions, Okwakol also reveals there was an 11.4% increase in university enrolment from 162,299 students in 2016/2017 to 183,084 in 2017/2018. 

Private universities had the bulk of students — 108,096 — representing 59%, while public universities had 74,988, which is 41% of total enrolment at universities.

According to the state of higher education, in 2017/2018, 471 programmes were accredited. 

On average, 94% of learners admitted to university programmes completed study and graduated. 

Today, the Government encourages private universities and colleges as a means of improving access to postsecondary education to boost quality and to support its role in education development.