1.0
PURPOSE
OF THE MEMORANDUM
The purpose of the memorandum is to:
1.1 Appraise Cabinet on the proposal to
increase access to higher
Education
1.2 Propose to Cabinet the need to plan for a
new Public University called Soroti University to be located in Soroti
District.
1.3 Inform Cabinet that the Ministry of
Finance, Planning and Economic Development has agreed to make a budgetary
provision, to enable the Planning Task Force to begin work, in July 2012, in
order to prepare for the establishment of the University in a manner that is
consistent with the provision of Section 22, of the Universities and Other
Tertiary Institutions Act, 2001, as amended.
2.0
BACKGROUND
2.1 The Government White Paper on Education 1992, recommended in a
nutshell, the democratization, liberalization and vocationalization of
education and training in the provision of education in Uganda. As a consequence, Government has introduced
the Universal Primary Education (UPE)
in 1997, Universal Post Primary Education and Training in 2007 and the
Universal Post Ordinary Level Education and Training (UPOLET) in 2012.
2.2 Increased access to education at HSC level has led to the
growth in the number of students who seek University Education.
2.3 The increased demand has been met by private providers who
have mainly concentrated in offering Arts and Humanities disciplines leaving
Science and Technology to Government Universities. The demand in the labor market, however, is
for graduates who have trained in basic sciences, applied sciences and
technology.
2.4 The Ministry wishes to increase access to Science, Applied
Science and Technology. In pursuit of that goal, Government wishes to establish
Soroti University to concentrate on disciplines that will assist in national
transformation, such as Agricultural Sciences and Agricultural Mechanization,
Agriculture, value addition research.
The Ministry wishes to increase access to
Science, applied Science and Technology. In pursuit of that goal, Government
wishes to establish Soroti University to concentrate on disciplines that will
assist in national transformation, such as Business Sciences, Sciences and
Technical Education, Health Sciences, Food Sciences and Technology and Computer
Science.
2.5 This plan by the Ministry of Education and Sports is
consistent with the National Development Plan Strategies to increase equitable
access to Higher Education by, among others, reducing costs of education to
families, developing facilities to cope with rapidly increasing numbers of
students, reforming and improving curricula and instruction in priority
disciplines.
3.0
STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
3.1
Whilst the 1995 constitution of the Republic
of Uganda provides for fundamental human rights and under Chapter 4, Article 30
provides that all persons have a right to education. At input level there are
very limited opportunities for University education in Uganda to match the
number of qualifying students. In the Financial Year 2011/2012, 61,820
qualified for University education in Uganda, the available places, in both
Public and Private Universities were only 45,000. The introduction of UPOLET in
2012 will exacerbate the dire need for more places at the University. The need, therefore, to establish more
institutions to offer University Education, needs no more emphasis.
3.2
At output level of the education the
traditional higher education models of “train and throw on the street” for the
Private Sector and government to pick can no longer work. Uganda is currently
faced with a serious challenge of youth unemployment.
3.3
Meanwhile it is a known fact that the
country’s natural resources are Under-exploited and the Industry
underdeveloped. The majority of Uganda’s products are unprocessed raw materials
of relatively low quality and of short shelf-life. Accordingly, they fetch low
prices amidst a booming domestic and international market. the under
exploitation and underdevelopment is attributed to lack of qualified persons
4.0
JUSTIFICATION
FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SOROTI
UNIVERSITY
4.1
The 1995 Constitution of the Republic of
Uganda provides for fundamental human rights and under Chapter 4, Article 30
provides that all persons have a right to education.
4.2
The reforms undertaken by the Government through
the Ministry of Education and Sports has witnessed the introduction of
Universal Primary School (UPE) in 1997; Universal Post Primary Education and
Training (UPPET) in 2007 and now
the introduction of Universal Post-Ordinary Level Education and Training
(UPOLET) in January 2012. These reforms have increased enrollment of pupils and
students at an annual average rate of 7%. This has correspondingly increased
the number qualifying for higher education.
4.3
Uganda has the lowest higher education
Gross Enrollment of Ratio (GER) of 5% in the East African Region, while other
member countries GER stand at 8%.
4.4
The National Development Plan 2010 – 2015
states that for an economic take off, a country should have a tertiary GER
OF 40% in relevant fields that is, Science and Technology. The need to open
more opportunities therefore, needs no emphasis.
4.5
In the Financial Year 2011/2012, 61820
students qualified for University education but only 45,000 students were
admitted to public and private universities.
Of these, Government sponsored only 9% that is, 4,000 students. Establishment of Soroti University would
increase access to University education nationally and regionally, especially
for privately sponsored students.
4.6
Soroti University is planned to be Science
based concentrating on Agricultural Science, Mechanization, Animal Sciences and
Husbandry, Agricultural Value Addition and linking all these to Marketing. The
plan takes into cognizance the vast arable land in the region which is ideal
for mechanization and animal husbandry.
This plan will greatly contribute to social transformation, and will
lead to national development.
4.7
Soroti University will be built on a
“virgin ground”. It will not displace any institution. It will be close to Teso
College and to the Arapai Campus of Busitema University. Once established,
Busitema University, Arapai Campus, would be phased out as Soroti University
would fulfill the purpose for which Arapai was established. Arapai would
re-focus on Diploma programmes it used to offer.
5.0
IMPLEMENTATION
ARRANGEMENTS
5.1
The Ministry of Education and Sports has
made a budgetary provision of UGX 1 bn (Ug. Shs. One billion) in the Financial
Year 2012/2013.
5.2
The Taskforce members will be appointed in
July 2012.
5.3
Recruitment of key academic and
non-academic staff and procurement of transport equipment will be made from
August to December, 2012.
5.4
The Taskforce will design the Strategic
Plan, develop academic programmes, and initiate site lay-out plans and physical
infrastructure drawings, etc, starting January, 2013.
5.5
Accreditation processes of the academic
programmes by the National Council for Higher Education will be undertaken from
July to December, 2013.
5.6
The Legal establishment of Soroti
University will be presented to Parliament between September and December,
2012.
5.7
Procurement of equipment and materials for
teaching and learning process, January to March, 2014.
5.8
Establishment of the Institutional
framework that involves appointments of officers and staff of the University
and constitution of the Governing Council will be January to April, 2014.
5.9
Execution of civil works will be from July
2013 – June 2015.
5.10
Soroti University full functional with all
the officers and the Council in place, April 2015.
5.11
Admission of the first cohort of Soroti
University students May to August, 2015.
6.0
OUTPUT/DELIVERABLES
6.1 Draft
Strategic Plan is in place.
6.2 Reconstructed
and rehabilitated facilities at the proposed Soroti
University Main Campus.
6.3 Programmes of studies developed and
submitted to National Council for Higher Education for review.
6.4 Key staff, both academic and non-teaching
are recruited in readiness to kick start the University in August, 2014.
6.5 Equipment and materials for teaching are
procured.
6.6 Quarterly progress report submitted by
the Taskforce to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Sports.
8.0 CONCLUSION
At the next convenient meeting, I will
request cabinet to:
8.1 Note the need for an increased equitable
access to Higher Education.
8.2 Approve that a new Public University
called Soroti University be established in Soroti District, to be fully
operational by April, 2015.
8.3 Direct the Minister of Finance, Planning
and Economic Development to revise the Education Sector’s Medium Term
Expenditure Framework to reflect the emerging costs – both recurrent and
capital development.
From Ministry
of Education and Sports, P.O.
Box 7063 Kampala
February,
2012
THE OBJECTS AND PURPOSES
FOR WHICH SOROTI UNIVERSITY WILL BE ESTABLISHED ARE DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS:
(a) To develop an innovative institutional
and educational model for vocationalizing education and extension system so as
to increase the productive and entrepreneurial capacity in students/youth and
communities;
(b) To create programmes that combine lecture
room activities with field work (service learning), projects and research and
coordinate internships with business, government and Non-Governmental Organizations
related to the national development;
(c) To promote appropriate skills technology
and innovations for production, employment, regional integration and
development;
(d) To promote student-based community
service and training. For example, through internships and assist the youth or
students to gain employability and offer service in various community settings;
(e) To conduct specialized and enterprise
based short-term training and non degree capacity building;
(f) To promote among students appropriate
skills for production and employment in community, office and related industry;
(g) To promote value addition and
entrepreneurship development, outbreak and extension in all aspects of the
University education.
(h) To promote technology development,
outreach and extension in all aspects of University education;
(i) To plan and conduct research on all
aspects of business, health science and technology, value addition on
agricultural products, food security and bio-technology.
(j) To contribute to the attainment and
sustainability of Soroti University, the country and partners.
- To promote appropriate Skills, Technology and Innovations for Production, Employment, regional integration and Development in Africa.
- To develop an innovative institutional model for vocationalising production Sector education and extension Systems so as to increase the productive and entrepreneurial capacity of youth and communities
- To promote appropriate Technology and Innovations for increased Production and sustainable Markets. in the Animal Industry
- To improve on the teaching of sciences in education sector
- To contribute to the national development agendas
The
unique educational model will be based on four pillars that is,
entrepreneurship, environmental and social consciousness, ethical values and
scientific and technical knowledge. Based on these principles, students will be
nurtured into agents of change. They
will learn by doing, working closely with faculty members and sector
communities to implement methods that promote development and increase
productivity. While deepening their understanding of the problems facing
different communities so they will be better equipped to respond to them.
2.4
Over
the years, concern has been raised on the nature of education and products
coming out of Ugandan Universities. The concern is that described in terms of
such as: “less than ready for the job market, half baked, too theoretical
etc.etc. Appeals have therefore been
made by stakeholders to educational institutions to re-orient their programmes
towards addressing the problems. The country desires/wishes for graduates that
have skills in all things they are employed.
Soroti
University concerns with all those aspirations through a process approach. This approach will be identifying, designing
and implementing academic programmes that prioritize practical skills training,
leadership in innovations and outreach.
The thrust would be educating and training the persons the country needs
for the future.
thanx
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