The government’s plan to extend scholarships and student loans to postgraduate students has stalled, with education officials citing inadequate funding as the biggest obstacle to supporting students seeking masters and doctoral qualifications.
The development highlights a gap in the higher education financing system, where government sponsorship and the Higher Education Students’ Financing Scheme largely benefit undergraduate students, leaving most postgraduate learners to depend on personal savings, employer sponsorship or development partners.
In a recent interview, Prof Eli Katunguka, Vice Chancellor, Kyambogo University, noted that there is growing recognition that the country needs to invest more in graduate education to produce researchers, university lecturers, scientists and other highly skilled professionals needed to drive the country’s development agenda.
Katunguka adds that while scholarships are important, they are unlikely to meet the growing demand for postgraduate education, particularly in high-cost fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Simon Matsiko, a master’s student at Makerere University, says the high cost of graduate education has placed advanced studies beyond the reach of many Ugandans, with some students dropping out or delaying graduation because of financial constraints.
The issue resurfaced yesterday during a meeting of the Joint Admissions Board at the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) in Nakawa, where members convened to select students who will benefit from government-funded undergraduate loans under the Higher Education Students’ Financing Scheme.
Addressing the matter, the Acting Minister for Education and Sports, Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo, said the government has already begun discussions on introducing scholarships and student loans for graduate students.
However, he cautions that no commitments can be made at this stage because of funding constraints.
Earlier this year, Dr. Denis Mugimba, Ministry of Education spokesperson, said the then Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, had directed a comprehensive review of the government scholarship programme to address some emerging issues. Dr. Mugimba said the review would also consider expanding the number of beneficiaries and extending government support to graduate students.
By URN
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