Makerere University School of Education has partnered with Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS), to offer scholarships to refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable women.
28 candidates will benefit during the first year of this arrangement.
This development was actualized by the Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the JRS leadership led by its Country Representative Mr Christina Zetlemeisl and Mr Yusuf Kiranda the Makerere University Secretary.
“As long as one falls in the above category, they will benefit, in all courses whether science or arts,” Zetlemeisl said.
The scholarship will cover tuition and functional fees.
“We emphasize the need to extend education services to all people. Every child has a right to education as conveyed in the convention for Children’s rights and the Sustainable Development Goal 4, which calls for universal access to education,” she added.
Uganda is currently a home to 1.4 million refugees leaving in different camps and urban areas, according to the 2018 report of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). The report further reveals that over 100,000 refugees are leaving in different urban areas of Kampala.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr Kiranda expressed gratitude to JRS for the opportunity given to refugees and asylum seekers whose dreams tend to be shuttered because of instabilities and financial challenges.
“We all need to build broader reception for refugees because any of us is a potential refugee,” he said
Makerere University, he said is a public University which should offer services to the entire public, including PWDs, without discrimination on basis of sex, race, color or political affiliations.
“This initiative by JRS is good because it complements our goal and will help the under privileged women, refugees and asylum seekers access quality education. We are all what we are because of education. Many years back we used to do casual work to get our tuition but see how education has changed us. We want the same for our refugee community,” he said.
Prof. Antony Mugagga Muwagga, the Principal of the College of Education and External Studies said the initiative will help students who would like to access University education but are struggling in life.
“I want to implore our students to desist from abusing these scholarships. Use this time to work hard because the people who donate this money for your tuition make sacrifices,” he said
John Mary Kisembo, the JRS Project Director said that selection criteria of the beneficiaries will be announced after the concerned team finalizing with it.
The Dean of the School of Education, Assoc. Prof. Mathias Mulumba Bwanika, appreciated JRS for the generosity and pledged the school’s commitment to implementing the MoU.
