Cover image courtesy of Children of Uganda.
–by Anthony Mamunes–
Abstract
‘Children of Uganda’ is a non-profit organization that provides aid and support to children and families in an effort to address economic inequality and social injustice. It also has a role in funding university education in local communities. Uganda has experienced political, social, and economic instability that has caused a large number of skilled personnel to leave the country. Higher education has faced significant pressure as more and more public funding is diverted to primary and secondary education. This is an issue that has hindered national development, especially among professionals.
I intend to argue that funding from humanitarian organizations like ‘Children of Uganda’ should be used to provide better pay to attract professors and build college infrastructure instead of just funding a specific child’s education. Donation programs that focus specifically on higher education can provide many benefits even if organizations want to continue to sponsor individuals. While beneficial, funds provided to address systematic issues may allow the Ugandan university system to train educated professionals leading to positive steps towards national development.
Higher Education in Uganda: A History
Uganda is a low income, land locked country in Africa that has the world’s largest percentage of its population under 30 at 78 percent.[1] I believe there needs to be an emphasis placed on developing educational institutions to meet this demand. The efforts to create an educated workforce require a significant investment.[2] Mission schools were first established in Uganda in the late 1890’s. By 1950, only three-fifths of secondary schools were run by the government.[3] The education system was centralized with nationwide school examinations.[4] The higher education system in Uganda is made up of universities, national teachers colleges, colleges of commerce and technology, with undergraduate courses ranging from two to five years.[5] The political and economic crises of the 1970’s and 1980’s influenced many of the social services in Uganda. The underfunding of education led to a brain drain and deterioration in the quality of teachers. In the 1980’s, there was a severe shortage in the number of teachers at all education levels. The physical infrastructure also declined.[6] This has led to a general decrease in the funding of higher education over the last two decades.[7]
In the 1990’s there was a reorganization in the financing of higher education to include Makerere University. Uganda once had a well-established education center with Makerere University as one of the top universities in Africa.[8] Unfortunately, many educated Ugandans fled the country to avoid persecution.[9] In 1982, a representative from the University of Oklahoma visited Uganda to gather information on the conditions in the country. They found that schools and universities were in major need of reorganization.[10] At the time, Makerere University could only accommodate 1500 new students a year. Those that were rejected by the system or did not go to a university would sometimes join guerilla organizations which only further contributed to the instability of the country.[11] The Church of Uganda in West Ankole worked to address education issues by sponsoring seven schools. This did not, however, address higher education as more pressure was placed on universities to deal with increased demand.[12]
There has been some support for Ugandan universities. In 1985, a formal partnership was established between Makerere University and the University of Oklahoma.[13] Partner institutions as well as humanitarian organizations can provide supplemental support to Uganda institutions of higher learning in order to help them address the growing demand of education. Enrollments have continued to increase which shows the emphasis that Ugandans place on education. Historically, primary and secondary school responsibility belonged to volunteer agencies and local communities.[14] There was not even a government department of Education until 1925. Even after its creation, the role of the government was only to give grants and aid to the volunteer organizations that ran the schools.[15]
Students at universities had their tuition, food and other living expenses paid for by the government.[16] It cost universities 508 times more to pay for a college student than primary and secondary students in 1987-88.[17] Higher education was originally financed solely through public funds with most of the funds going for food and allowances for students rather than salaries for teachers. Makerere University offered some of the lowest salaries to senior academic and administrative staff in Eastern and Southern Africa.[18] Makerere University has worked to reduce its reliance on public funding. In a World Bank report on ‘Education in Sub-Saharan Africa’ (1988), it was recommended that Ugandan universities try to diversify their sources of income.[19] The use of funds from outside organizations was necessary in order for universities to continue to function.
In 1990, the nationwide literacy level was only at fifty percent.[20] This led to a national priority to improve education by fixing infrastructure and improving education by upgrading the curriculum and by training teachers.[21] Higher learning education also shifted away from purely academic learning to technical and vocational training. Outside groups also played a role in creating new institutions of education. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) opened up the Islamic University of Mbale in 1988. This is an example of how development plans for higher education have shifted to rely on private and international donors.[22] International funding from France and Germany have tended to focus on post-secondary education while donations from the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and the United States have focused on basic education.[23] In order to improve higher education, this funding must be used effectively and efficiently. There have been different strategies that outside humanitarian organizations have used to allocate the funding. Some organizations use funds to sponsor specific children while others will take donations and provide it directly improve infrastructure, incentivize working at universities, and to get students focus their studies on sectors that are key for Ugandan national development.
‘Children of Uganda’ and their work with Higher Education
Formerly ‘Uganda Children’s Charity Foundation,’ ‘Children of Uganda’ was founded and registered as an official non-profit organization in 1995.[24] Their work actually started before this under Sister Rose Muyinza. This organization helps orphans and vulnerable children get access to education and life necessities. ‘Children of Uganda’s’ sponsors have helped over a thousand students complete their primary, secondary, vocational and university education. These sponsors have also helped to support infrastructure projects for partner schools, often at the primary or secondary level.[25] Sponsorship goes to pay for a variety of educational needs to include school fees, tuition, and scholastic materials. This organization has been very successful and has seen its receipients graduate programs such as engineering, medicine, the hospitality industry, and carpentry.[26] The cost of sponsorship for a child in primary school is $42 a month, secondary is $46 a month, while costs for university students vary.[27]
The success of children through their programs can be seen in the real stories on their blog. One such example is Brenda Nambuubi. After her father lost his job, she enrolled in the Children of Uganda’s sponsorship program in 2000.[28] She later went to attend Nkumba University, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance administration. She then interned for six months as the Finance and Administrative Assistant at Children of Uganda’s central office in Kampala. Recently, she obtained full employment as an accountant at St. Bernard’s Manya Health Center.[29] Success stories such as this show the impact an organization like this can have on lives in Africa.
This strategy of humanitarian effort is important as it can positively effect children’s’ lives by providing them an opportunity to receive funding and support to attend college. Based on the specific issues that face higher education, there can be great benefit in using funds to fix infrastructure and pay professors better salaries. I believe that ‘Children of Uganda’ would be able to create more of a benefit for higher level education by focusing donation funds on these systematic issues. Funding can also be effective by targeting specific programs such as those that promote studying high demand fields like technology, medicine, and business. There is also the question of fairness in providing sponsorship to specific children. There are most likely many other well deserving children that do not receive any donations or sponsorship. Utilizing funds to address issues facing the overall system can be seen as a somewhat more equitable way in using humanitarian aid. I think this would also positively contribute to empowering the Ugandans to address their own issues in higher education.
Makerere University: A Case Study
Makerere University was originally established in 1922 as a technical school, becoming a college in 1937. In 1970, the Ugandan Parliament made it an independent national university.[30] In the 1970’s, economic hardship swept Uganda. From 1972-1985, GDP fell and there was a decrease of 35 percent in real per capita income.[31] During this time, arguments were made that public investments to universities and colleges brought small returns compared to investments made in primary and secondary education.[32] This underfunding led to a decrease in the quality of university professors. Low salaries demoralized university employees and often prompted them to move elsewhere for better opportunities.[33] In 1990, The Makerere University Visiting Committee, testified about the consequences of underfunding. This underfunding also hurt the university’s authority as an organization, making it difficult to get the cooperation of staff and faculty.[34] The university was unable to fund the basic requirements to teach its students.[35] There were also constraints under the Ugandan University Act of 1970 which did not allow universities to use surplus funds without prior approval from the ministry of education. These funds could have been used to fix existing infrastructure or to retain qualified educators. While the government often issue directives, these were not always in the best interests of the university.[36] Makerere University needed to expand its revenue base in order to prevent its collapse. This included looking to donations from other organizations instead of receiving all of its funding from the government. These positive educational reforms were tied to the political, economic, and social reforms of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government that came into power in 1986.[37]
A new constitution in 1995 along with the Local Government Act in 1997 allowed Makerere University to begin to engage in privatization, decentralization and bottom up planning. By 1999, 60 percent of the university’s budget was privately resourced.[38] Internal funds began to be used for training and retraining of university staff. This was necessary to keep up with the expansion of the university. Makerere University still faces several issues when it comes to its teachers. Only 25 percent have PHDs. Low salaries also continue to be an issue in attracting talent. The average salary for university professors ranges from $1060- 1600 a month. This is still not enough to be considered a living wage.[39] Organizations like ‘Children of Uganda’ must continue to reassess its efforts in order to provide the most effective and efficient aid. I think there is an opportunity to broaden its programs by providing sponsorship and aid to university educators. This incentive can help Ugandan centers of higher learning attract the necessary talent to keep up with the demand of more students attending college.
Uganda’s First Batch of Optometrists
This is the first batch of optometrists graduating at Makerere University in Kampala after completing the first optometry degree certified in Uganda. They are the first locally trained optometrists for their country and will be the primary eye doctors for optometry services for the Ugandan populace.[40]
Strategies for Humanitarian Aid: A Way Ahead
The biggest issue facing higher education in Uganda continues to be the shortage of funds.[41] Non-Ugandan and Ugandan skilled workers have left the country which has led to an almost complete collapse of the social service infrastructure.[42] Uganda needs to meet the demands of national development by providing the necessary education to instruct scientists, technicians, accountants and those with manager skills. It is often cheaper to produce graduates in the arts and humanities than in math and science.[43] This can be problematic as medicine and business are in high demand for Ugandan development. Teachers’ salaries and benefits remain low, making it difficult to retain top performers and attract the best minds. It is important to note that public resources are limited when it comes to higher education.[44] There have been quite a few proposals for changing the financing of higher education in Uganda.
A commission sponsored by the International Development Research Center (IDRC) to advise the long term development in Uganda, found that consideration should be given to charging students a portion of their costs.[45] I think this is another area in which organizations like ‘Children of Ugandan’ may be able to provide more support. In its advertising, ‘Children of Uganda’ tends to focus on young orphans and primary school aged children. These images tend to be powerful and most likely attract the greatest number of sponsors. It is absolutely necessary, however, that organizations look to highlight the issues facing higher education. There seems to be very few organizations with a single mission to help fund universities in Uganda. This is why I think it is important for organizations like ‘Children of Uganda’ and others to come together and address these issues. This would require intensive cooperation between groups in order to align priorities and be most effective with aid. I think this would also require working very closely with the government and Ugandan universities as well to ensure the proper allocation of resources are implemented.
One of the challenges facing funding for higher education in Uganda is the increasing demand for primary and secondary education.[46] Recently, there has been a shift in which more government funds have been allocated to improve primary and secondary schools. In the future, private donations will be necessary to bridge the gap in funding for universities. The commission also recommended a system of scholarships and loans in order to help needy based students. This would help lower the cost of public university education for the government.[47] The issue with student loans is that the system will not work if there is high employment after graduation. Recipients of loans would simply not be able to pay them back. Donations from organizations like ‘Children of Uganda’ can have an enormous impact on the entire system by improving overall higher education and ensuring sponsored individuals are gaining the necessary skills to find employment. Makerere University launched a program to award Bachelor of Education in Commerce degrees for 200 students. These would be funded by private sponsorship.[48] This is necessary, especially when it comes to high, in demand fields. The government cannot solely bear the responsibility or afford all the costs for higher education. Funding from humanitarian organizations like ‘Children of Uganda,’ can also help offset these costs and provide the greatest value for the greatest number of Ugandan youth.
Higher education has been expanding rapidly from 1987- 2005. In 1986, there was only one university. This grew to nineteen by 2005.[49] The National Council for Higher Education in Uganda has called for public funds to only be used in key strategic areas. Donor contributions, especially those for a particular program, have been found to be highly effective in bridging gaps in funding.[50] Budgetary constraints at universities around the world have been reduced by increasing salary supplementation from private financing.[51] There still remains significant unemployment in Uganda. Many have cited that the education Ugandan universities provide does not match up with the skills that are sought in the job market.[52] In 2013, the World Bank proposed a $75 million dollar loan to address this issue and develop in demand skills in Uganda.[53] In demand programs like science, technology, and medical education are often expensive. There is little incentive for qualified scholars to spend their time teaching at universities when they can work in the private sector.[54] Some even leave to teach in Europe, North America or in other African countries. Institutions cannot pay salaries that are even regionally competitive.[55]
In 2016, Johnson W. Makoba, an African born U.S graduate student received the Carnegie Africa Diaspora Fellowship to travel to Africa.[56] He traveled to universities in Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and Uganda to collaborate on graduate level teaching and curriculum development. He noted several challenges that faced the universities in Uganda. This included inadequate funding, inadequate academic staff, low pay and benefits for staff, poor infrastructure, administrative issues and poor overall leadership. Most vacancies at the universities went unfilled due to a lack of unqualified applicants.[57] Many of the professors he encountered had to teach at multiple institutions just to make a living.[58] Adequate funding for higher learning can fix a lot of these issues. There needs to be fair compensation for highly-qualified applicants to each at Ugandan universities.
Ugandan Universities to Receive benefit from World Bank
Uganda was selected as one of eight eastern and southern African countries to receive funds from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank. These funds will be used to address development challenges by providing graduate level training in Master’s, PHDs, and applied research through collaboration with other institutions and the private sector.[59]
This post may have been edited by admin for clarity and length.
Bibliography
Primary Sources
“About Us.” Children of Uganda, 2019, www.childrenofuganda.org/about-us/.
“Our Work.” Children of Uganda, 2019, www.childrenofuganda.org/our-work/.
“Become a Sponsor.” Children of Uganda, 2019, www.childrenofuganda.org/join-the-family/become-a-sponsor/.
“Connect.” Children of Uganda, 2019, www.childrenofuganda.org/connect/blog/.
Secondary Sources
Bibens, Robert, ‘An Introduction of Western Education to Uganda,’ Journal of Thought, (July 1986), 85-90.
Eisemon, Thomas, ‘Reforming Higher Education Systems: Some Lessons to Guide Policy Implementation,’ Higher Education, (June 1995), 405-420.
Kajubi, Senteza, ‘Financing of higher education in Uganda,’ Higher Education, (June 1992), 433-441.
Magara, Elisam, ‘Financing a Public University: Strategic Directions for Makerere University in Uganda,’ Journal of Higher Education in Africa, (2009), 61-86.
Muwanga, Nansozi, ‘The Politics of Higher Education Reform: The Case of Makerere University,’ African Journal of Political Science, (June 2004), 51- 70.
Namyonjo, Harriet, ‘Funding Higher Education in Uganda in an Era of Growth,’ Education Policy Institute Canada Office, (December 2009), 1-34.
Omona, Julius, ‘Funding Higher Education in Uganda: Modalities, Challenges, and Opportunities in the twenty-first century,’ East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, (2012), 11-24.
Other
Byrnes, Rita. “Uganda: A Country Study- Education.” Library of Congress, 1990. http://countrystudies.us/uganda/35.htm.
“EPDC Spotlight on Uganda.” Education Policy and Data Center, 2009, https://www.epdc.org/epdc-data-points/epdc-spotlight-uganda.
Makoba, Johnson. “International Perspectives: The State of Higher Education in Uganda from a Carnegie African Diaspora Fellow Perspective.” American Sociological Association, June 2017, https://www.asanet.org/news-events/footnotes/apr-may-jun-2017/features/international-perspectives-state-higher-education-uganda-carnegie-african-diaspora-fellow
“Ugandan Universities to benefit from World Bank support,” 2016. www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/Jobs-Career/Ugandan-Universities-to-benefit-from-World-bank.
“Uganda’s First Batch of Optometrists,” International Agency for the prevention of blindness, 2019. www.iapb.org/news/ugandas-first-batch-of-optometrists.
[1] “EPDC Spotlight on Uganda.” Education Policy and Data Center, 2009. www.epdc.org/epdc-data-points/epdc-spotlight-uganda.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Rita, Byrnes, “Uganda: A Country Study- Education.” Library of Congress, 1990. http://countrystudies.us/uganda/35.html.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Julius, Omona, ‘Funding Higher Education in Uganda: Modalities, Challenges, and Opportunities in the twenty-first century,’ East African School of Higher Education Studies and development, (2012), 12.
[6] Rita, Byrnes, “Uganda: A Country Study- Education.” Library of Congress, 1990. http://countrystudies.us/uganda/35.html.
[7] Omona, ‘Funding Higher Education in Uganda: Modalities, Challenges, and Opportunities in the twenty-first century,’ 11.
[8] Robert, Bibens, ‘An Introduction of Western Education to Uganda,’ Journal of Thought, (July 1986), 85.
[9] Ibid., 86.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid., 87.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid., 89
[14] Senteza, Kajubi, ‘Financing of higher education in Uganda,’ Higher Education, (June 1992), 436.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Ibid.
[17] Ibid., 437.
[18] Ibid.
[19] Elisam, Magara, ‘Financing a Public University: Strategic Directions for Makerere University in Uganda,’ Journal of Higher Education in Africa, (2009), 70.
[20] Rita, Byrnes, “Uganda: A Country Study- Education.” Library of Congress, 1990. http://countrystudies.us/uganda/35.html.
[21] Ibid.
[22] Ibid.
[23] Omona, ‘Funding Higher Education in Uganda: Modalities, Challenges, and Opportunities in the twenty-first century,’ 19.
[24] “About Us.” Children of Uganda, 2019. www.childrenofuganda.org/about-us/.
[25] Ibid.
[26] “Our Work.” Children of Uganda, 2019. www.childrenofuganda.org/our-work/.
[27] “Become a Sponsor.” Children of Uganda, 2019. www.childrenofuganda.org/become-a-sponsor/.
[28] “Connect.” Children of Uganda, 2019. www.childrenofuganda.org/connect/blog/.
[29] Ibid.
[30] Nansozi, Muwanga, ‘The Politics of Higher Education Reform: A Case of Makerere University,’ African Journal of Political Science, (June 2004), 51.
[31] Ibid., 52.
[32] Ibid.
[33] Ibid., 53.
[34] Ibid.
[35] Ibid.
[36] Ibid.
[37] Ibid., 55.
[38] Ibid.
[39] Ibid., 61.
[40] “Uganda’s First Batch of Optometrists,” International Agency for the prevention of blindness, 2019. www.iapb.org/news/ugandas-first-batch-of-optometrists.
[41] Kajubi, ‘Financing of higher education in Uganda,’ 432.
[42] Ibid.
[43] Ibid., 434.
[44] Ibid.
[45] Ibid., 439.
[46] Omona, ‘Funding Higher Education in Uganda: Modalities, Challenges, and Opportunities in the twenty-first century,’ 11.
[47] Kajubi, ‘Financing of higher education in Uganda,’ 439.
[48] Ibid., 440.
[49] Magara, ‘Financing a Public University: Strategic Directions for Makerere University in Uganda,’ 65.
[50] Ibid., 72.
[51] Thomas, Eisemon, ‘Reforming Higher Education Systems: Some Lessons to Guide Policy Implementation,’ Higher Education, (June 1995), 412.
[52] “EPDC Spotlight on Uganda.” Education Policy and Data Center, 2009. www.epdc.org/epdc-data-points/epdc-spotlight-uganda.
[53] Ibid.
[54] Harriet, Nannyonjo, ‘Funding Higher Education in Uganda in an Era of Growth,’ Education Policy Institute Canada Office, (December 2009), 9.
[55] Ibid., 10.
[56] Johnson, Makoba, “International Perspectives: The State of Higher Education in Uganda from a Carnegie African Diaspora Fellow Perspective.” American Sociological Association. June 2017. https://www.asanet.org/news-events/footnotes/apr-may-jun-2017/features/international-perspectives-state-higher-education-uganda-carnegie-african-diaspora-fellow
[57] Ibid.
[58] Ibid.
[59] “Ugandan Universities to benefit from World Bank support,” 2016. www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/Jobs-Career/Ugandan-Universities-to-benefit-from-World-bank.
