President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for Bunyoro University, marking a significant milestone in Uganda’s education sector.
The President emphasized the need for free education in government schools and the eradication of household poverty to ensure ordinary children benefit from higher education.
Speaking at the event in Kikuube District, he urged leaders to implement free Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) to prevent school dropouts.
“Insist on free education for children in government schools and implement it. The rich can take their children to private schools, but those from poor families should have no excuse for dropping out,” he said.
President Museveni warned that without free education and economic empowerment at the household level, local children may not access Bunyoro University.
“If families are still poor, children will drop out of school. If they drop out, who will attend this university? You will find students from other regions because local children didn’t complete primary or secondary education. A university is not a marketplace, you must go through the education system to qualify,” he noted.
The President highlighted the need for families to support their children’s education beyond the limited government scholarships available.
“Even where free education has been implemented, only a limited number of high-performing students receive government sponsorship. The rest rely on family support, which means we must focus on developing homesteads economically,” he explained.
President Museveni also advised university planners to prioritize courses that create employment opportunities.
“A medical doctor cannot fail to get a job, whether here or abroad. That is why we started Mbarara University with medicine before adding science education and ICT,” he said.
He cautioned against offering courses with limited job prospects, especially for students from peasant families.
“It’s unfair to educate a child from a poor family in conflict resolution while others pursue fields that guarantee employment. Be careful about the courses you recommend for our children,” he advised.
The President reminded leaders that when the NRM government took power, Uganda had only one public university, Makerere, which was producing just 80 doctors annually.
“According to the WHO, one doctor should serve 500 people. With Uganda’s population at 46 million, we need more doctors,” he said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to establishing a public university in each of the country’s 18 zones.
President Museveni assured Bunyoro that with petroleum revenues expected next year, more development projects will be realized.
“A Munyankole proverb says, Engabo yakyeli togyihera mwana mubazi: You don’t give a heavy shield to a weak child. We started Mbarara University when people opposed me, saying we should consolidate Makerere. But the concept of public universities is mine, and we shall continue expanding,” he emphasized.
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, thanked the stakeholders for their efforts in ensuring the university dream becomes a reality.
“Your Excellency, the stakeholders of Bunyoro have keenly followed up the development of a public university for this Region, especially in the process of identifying suitable land to establish the campus,” she said.
Maama Janet recognized Canon Dr. Henry Wamani and his family for gifting 100 acres of land for the university campus.
The government has invested Shs.6.4 billion in the preliminary processes of establishing the university, which will offer 18 academic programs in sciences.
The Chairperson of Bunyoro University Task Force, Professor Samuel Kyamanywa, explained that the university will be a game-changer for higher education in the region.
The Kikuube District LC 5 chairperson, Mr. Peter Banura, called for unity among the people of Bunyoro to support government interventions
