The
government this year under the financial budget announced the commencement of
the student loan scheme with the academic year 2013/14. The announcement was
plausible and long overdue. But let us have a simple and systemic view of the schemes
alignment with the existing government programs and targets.
Firstly,
Vision 2040 under the human resource projects “ to expediate the formulation of critical skills required for harnessing
the identified opportunities, the education system needs to be reviewed,
redeveloped and positioned to provide the appropriate globally competitive
skills. Special programmes to to train
in relevant skills in emerging industries and technology will be undertaken”
Secondly,
Skilling Uganda programme targets to create
employable skills and
competencies relevant in
the labour market instead of educational certificates.
Thirdly, under the guidelines provided
by the students’ education fund Uganda assert that Private students joining
universities this academic year 2013/14 and a few currently enrolled students
at both public and private universities will have a chance to get loans from
the Government to pay for their education.
The emphasis here is university education
but ridiculously excludes candidates of vocational institutions, who would
ideally graduate with the required skills that are urgently needed for Uganda
to live her vision.
For Uganda to achieve its
transformational targets of 2040, the student loan scheme should be aligned more
to vocational education than university education whose graduates are already
grappling with unemployment.
Nkuba Bruce
brucenkuba@gmail.com
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