General
Tottori Students Successfully Complete Overseas Practical Education Program in Uganda
“I applaud Makerere University and Tottori University for signing the MoU that has enabled the exchange of knowledge and ideas between staff and students from both institutions. This has given students an opportunity to study, research and experience new things,” said the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)-DVCAA, Dr. Umar Kakumba in a speech read by Dr. Gorreti Nabanoga.
Dr. Gorreti Nabanoga, an Associate Professor and Deputy Principal of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) represented Dr. Umar Kakumba at the closing ceremony of the three-week Practical Education Program in Uganda held on Thursday, 21st March 2019 at Makerere University.
The DVCAA urged the Fifteen (15) students from Tottori University who participated in the Practical Education Program in Uganda to share their findings and knowledge with fellow students when they return to Japan.
Dr. Kakumba said that the Program will help students examine different professions and skills in agriculture, veterinary medicine, engineering, health and social sciences fields and how they have influenced social and economic transformation in Uganda. “Tottori students will learn from our people and the Ugandans will also learn from them” he added.
Tottori University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Makerere University for the delivery of the Tottori University overseas Practical Education Program in Uganda with an aim of fostering students’ global competence skills development and facilitating the building of networks with developing and emerging nations.
In line with the vision of Fostering Global Citizenship, the program was designed to expose Japanese students to the outside world.
The Fifteen (15) students spent three weeks understanding the social-economic conditions and cultural context in which development processes are taking place. They attended special lectures organised by Makerere University, the Embassy of Japan in Uganda and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and participated in guided-field excursions to various establishments across the country.
Through this program, Japanese students learn about the different aspects of life in the host country such as the education system, health system, the culture, forests and nature conservation, transport, agricultural systems, refugees, economy as well as visiting tourist attractions in the host country.
The Students carried out research and presented findings on topics of interest namely:
• Problems of refugees in Uganda
• Education in Uganda
• Causes of poverty in Uganda
• Agricultural practices in Uganda
• Ecosystem and nature conservation
• Traffic system in Uganda
• Forest degradation among others
Presenting findings on forest degradation, one of the students from Japan, Mr. Tomoki Kinugasa reported that Uganda’s forest cover had greatly decreased due to the usage of a lot of wood to make charcoal in addition to illegal logging. He said that to save forests, people should start using electricity to cook and government should enact strict laws to end logging.
The students were also concerned that people in various parts of the Uganda had built houses in wetlands thus affecting the ecosystem of the country. “Many activities are happening in the wetlands diverting water flows and flooding low-lying areas.”
They also shared that the narrow city roads lead to a lot of traffic jam by motorists, bodaboda riders and cyclists. Additionally, there is no space for pedestrians to move freely on the roads. Bodaboda riders go against the traffic lights and therefore easily cause accidents.
Ms. Martha Muwanguzi, the Head International Relations Office said that the student and staff exchange was fundamental in internationalizing Makerere University. Without the exchanges, internationalization will remain on paper and the benefits will be minimal to both institutions.
She also expressed Makerere University’s gratitude to Tottori University for the fully funded scholarships that had been awarded to students for Masters and PhD programs in Japan. A similar program for Makerere University students and staff to visit Japan was recommended so as to promote the exchange for the mutual benefit of both institutions.
Written by: Esther Joyce Nakibombo, Volunteer-Mak Public Relations Office
Organised by the Makerere Debating Union – a student-led initiative, the Inter-college Debate Tournament was held on 11th and 12th April 2025 with a vision to leave no student behind by nurturing a community of confident, articulate, and visionary leaders who will drive positive change in society. The tournament was held in three preliminary rounds, followed by semi-finals and a grand finale.
The first round covered democracy and youth participation in politics, while the second round covered inequality and wealth distribution, and the third, the ban on export of raw materials. The semi-final round debated apprenticeship for blue-collar jobs, while the grand finale debated national budget allocations for healthcare and education. In the spirit of inclusivity, all colleges, including the Jinja Campus participated in the tournament.
Commenting on the choice of topics, the organisers noted Makerere University as a bastion of academic excellence has a profound responsibility to cultivate the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of our nation. These leaders, they added, ought to be equipped with 21st century skills of self-expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving so as to navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving world.
On the whole, Makerere Inter-college Debates were conceived as a strategic initiative to foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and innovation. The Debating Union aims to empower the future leaders by providing a platform for students to engage in respectful discourse, articulate their thoughts, as well as develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, the Debates serve as a platform for not only honing the intellectual prowess of students but also cultivating leadership skills, teamwork, and communication abilities that are essential for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. It is envisaged that this initiative will have a lasting impact on the lives of students, by exposing them to debates on topical issues that can shape the mindsets of transformative leaders our nation needs.
After a thrilling two days of debate, Daphine Kemigisha and Jibril Ssekandi from the School of Law (SoL) emerged as winners of the Makerere University Inter-college Debate Tournament 2025, while Olara Emmanuel George from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) was the Public Speech Champion, and Namujuzi Martha Mociita from the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) was the Poetry Champion.
The 2025 Tournament was organized by Mayanja Owen and Nkalubo Oprah – 91st Guild Representative Councils (GRCs) of the Debate Union, Akatwijuka Arthur – Chairperson Debate Union, and Debate Union Representatives from colleges. The Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF) partnered with the Debate Union to deliver the 2025 edition.
Addressing students at the award ceremony, UNNGOF’s Mr. Derrick Baluuku encouraged the youth to step out of their comfort zones and think of solutions to inspire change in their communities.
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