Education
Gone but still lives on: Makerere University celebrates Prof. Kajubi’s legacy
Published
2 years agoon

Professor William Senteza Kajubi, the first African to receive a Fulbright scholarship in 1952 and a renowned educationist who diversified and chaired a committee to review Uganda’s Curriculum in 1990 was remembered and celebrated by Makerere University College of Education and External studies (CEES) in a public lecture that happened on 22nd September 2022 at the Yusuf Lule teaching facility Auditorium at Makerere University.

The ceremony themed “Internationalization of Higher Education in the next Century” presided over by the United States’s Ambassador to Uganda Her Excellency Natalie Brown brought together many academicians, educationists and students across the world to celebrate the life and achievements of the person of Professor William Senteza Kajubi. In attendance were Vice Chancellors from Ugandan universities e.g. Soroti, Muni, Bishop Stuart, Bugema, Ndejje and Busitema.
Besides remembering the life of Prof. Kajubi, this public lecture also happened to be marking the Makerere University’s 100 year anniversary, Uganda’s 60 years of independence and its fruitful relationship with the United States that has paved way for the Fulbright Scholarship program and many other partnerships that have impacted lives of Ugandans.

While addressing the congregation, the Principal College of Education and External Studies (CEES) Professor Anthony Mugagga hailed Professor Kajubi for the 1989 report on Education which the National Resistance Movement government incorporated into its 10-point program.
“In 1954 when Pope Leo the 10th appointed Ben Kiwanuka as the first African Bishop, he cautioned him to be successful so that he can inspire more African theologians. Kajubi never got lost in the States, neither did he do drugs but he clang to studies and paved way for other scholars of the Fulbright Scholarship program,” added Professor Mugagga who concluded his remarks cautioning the congregation to emulate Prof. Kajubi, and also thanked all staff who participated in seeing this event a success.

On behalf of the Senteza Kajubi family, his son Wasswa Kajubi expressed their deepest gratitude and honor to Makerere University and CEES administration for always remembering their loved one even when he passed on long time ago.
The Chairperson Makerere University Council Mrs.Lorna Magara highlighted how the Late Prof. Kajubi’s life symbolized hard work, persistence and courage to pursue excellence and greatness. She added that Prof. Kajubi’s passion for education at Makerere and the University of Chicago resulted into a lot of phenomenal education reforms that saw admission of private sponsored students to Makerere.

“Prof. Sentenza Kajubi’s life symbolized hard work, passion for the profession,
creativity, innovation, and courage to pursue and carry out a vision”. This hard work ethic, Mrs. Magara informed the gathering, was reinforced daily by a family motto in the Kajubi sitting room, “OMULIMU LYE LINNYA LY’OMUNTU,” which may be translated as ONE’S WORK IS ONE’S NAME.

The late Prof. Kajubi’s passion and pursuit for knowledge can be traced through his education journey, from Mengo Junior Secondary school to Kings College Budo, to Makerere University, and on to the University of Chicago on a Fulbright Scholarship graduating with an MSC. with a concentration in Geography. Upon return, he embraced the privilege and honor of serving as a teacher, and Administrator. His dedicated service saw him rise through the ranks to serve as Director, National Institute of Education (1964- 1977) and twice as Vice Chancellor, Makerere University (1977-1979; 1990-1993).
Her Excellency Natalie Brown the United States Ambassador to Uganda said,” Professor Kajubi is a shining star among Fulbright alumni, in Uganda and beyond. He traveled to the U.S. in 1952 as a Fulbright student to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Chicago. He returned to make great contributions to the education sector in Uganda and the region. His two-time tenure appointments at the helm of this university demonstrate his outstanding leadership ability”. Professor Kajubi did not limit himself to education alone, he went on to serve as a delegate to Uganda’s Constituent Assembly which created the new constitution in 1995, among other things. His legacy of service to his country remains an inspiration to generations of faculty and students alike”.

Ms. Brown said the US Mission in Uganda are proud to manage the Fulbright program in Uganda where 12 Ugandan Fulbright grantees were sent this year to academic programs for Masters, PhD and research in the United States, and in exchange Uganda welcomed nine U.S. Fulbrighters to conduct research.
Makerere University and the people of America have had great partnerships that have seen America’s public Health enthusiasts and other specialists come to Uganda to conduct research. They include the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and so many others.

The keynote speaker of the day and the Vice President and Associate Provost for Internationalization at the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Michael Pippenger challenged African Universities to ensure solidarity, commitment and transparency if they actually want to internationalize since it not only helps them realize weaknesses, strengths and potential areas of collaboration but also builds transformative and global minded students.
“It is not the MOUs and agreements we sign that show internationalization, but rather the work we do while together on ending pandemics, fostering rule of law and other community impactful engagements. Surprisingly Prof Kajubi knew all this”. Concluded Dr. Pippenger who urged universities to stick to their visions and missions which should reflect on the communities they serve.

Prof. William Senteza Kajubi served as the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University at two different intervals 1977 – 1979 and 1990 – 1993. He was also a member of the constitutional Assembly that drafted Uganda’s constitution of 1995. He devoted his life to Academics and impacting communities until his death on May 1st, 2012.
Background
Prof. Senteza Kajubi was born in 1926, in Singo county (modern day Mityana District), to Yoweri Bugonzi Kajubi and Bulanina Namukomya. His family later moved closer to the capital and settled in Busega, a suburb in the outskirts of Kampala, where he began his long journey with, or rather in, education at the Mackay Memorial Primary School in 1933. He then attended Mengo Junior School from 1941 to 1943 before transferring to King’s College Budo for his Advanced Level, finally making it to Makerere College in 1947 where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts with a Diploma in Education.
Shortly after he graduated, Prof. Kajubi taught at Kako Junior Secondary School before going to the University of Chicago for a Master of Science in Geography. Later, in 1955, he went back to his alma mater, King’s College Budo, and taught Geography. It was during this period that he taught other notable personalities in Uganda’s history such as Mathew Rukikaire and Prof. Apolo Nsibambi in a predominantly white environment. The only other native teachers at Budo, then, were the Deputy Headteacher, Mr. Sempebwa and Erisa Kironde, an English language teacher.
As one of the few Protestant members of a predominantly Catholic Democratic party (DP), Senteza Kajubi was a member of the National Symbols Committee which was tasked with selecting the national anthem, flag and coat of arms.

His political acumen propelled him to chair a number of government boards over the years until he directly participated in electoral politics in 1994 as a delegate of the Constituent Assembly representing Kyadondo North.
Two years after Uganda got independence, now a lecturer at Makerere University, Prof. Senteza was appointed the Director of National Institute of Education. He served there until 1977 when he became Vice Chancellor for the first time.
Education Policy Formation in Uganda
As the Secretary General of the Uganda Teachers’ Association from 1959 to 1962, Prof. Senteza Kajubi was a member of the famed Castle Commission on Uganda’s post-independence education policy framework.
Instituted and appointed in January 1963, the Castle Commission had been tasked with examining the content and structure of education in Uganda in light of the approved recommendations of the International Bank Survey Mission Report, Uganda’s financial position and its future manpower requirement.
In the execution of its mandate, the commission dealt with a dilemma; if the formulated policy disproportionately focused on universal primary education and adult literacy while neglecting secondary, tertiary and higher education, it would fail to produce high level manpower which was required to staff government and teach in schools. However, on the other hand, the country did not have the resources to make improvements across the board and had to prioritise one option to the detriment of the other.
Since Makerere was still under the University of East Africa and higher education was still an inter-territorial responsibility, the commission instead focused on prioritising teacher-training, expanding secondary school enrolment and improving relevance, quality and access of primary education in remote areas.
In 1977, during his first tenure as the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Kajubi went on to chair the Education Policy Review Commission (EPRC) which was appointed by Idi Amin’s Minister of Education, Brig. Barnabas Kili.

Owing to the political climate at the time, the education system was facing even dire problems. The gross human rights violations had led to a mass exodus of highly qualified professionals from civil service, teachers and university faculty into exile. Imploding diplomatic relations rendered external assistance with regard to education inexistent and the government had to deal with shortages from personnel to instructional material.
Prof. Senteza Kajubi was then tasked with the responsibility of leading an effort to circumvent some of these challenges and therefore keeping the education system in Uganda alive. Unfortunately, the findings and recommendations of the report, from its members and constituent sub-committees were overtaken by events in 1979 when war broke out and the Idi Amin regime was overthrown. The report was shelved and never formally presented to cabinet.
In 1987, after the ascendancy of the NRM government into power, another commission, once again headed by Prof. Senteza Kajubi, was appointed. Still under similarly unique circumstances, this commission too had to work within the socio-economic confines of a post-war society riddled with scarcity of resources. Eighteen months later, the commission’s report was produced in January 1989.

The most notable outcome of this committee report was a government white paper which brought to life the famous Universal Primary Education. This recommendation alone, for all its limitations, has contributed significantly to literacy levels in Uganda and to the education system as a whole.
After chairing the second Kajubi commission, he then became the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University for the second time, from 1990 to 1993, preceded by Prof. George Kirya and succeeded by Prof. John Ssebuwufu.
The Fulbright Program
In 1952, Prof. Senteza went on to the University of Chicago, on a Fulbright Scholarship, to pursue a Master of Science in Geography, making him the first African beneficiary of this scholarship program.
The student exchange scholarship program, which was started shortly after the Second World War by an act of Congress, was named after the American Senator J. William Fulbright, its framer. He made the case that “educational exchange could turn nations into people, contributing as no other form of communication can to the humanising of international relations.”
Through his notable achievements and illustrious career, it is clear that this initiative to bridge cultural gaps through an international education exchange program had Prof. Senteza as one its successes.
You may like
-
Understanding the Impact of the Trump Aid Freeze on Higher Education in Uganda
-
Mapping Research in Education: A Baseline Study on PhD Completion and Emerging Research Themes
-
DSTVE Welcomes New Leadership as Dr. Batiibwe Takes Over
-
Over 40 UBTEB Students Graduate from the Centre for Life-Long Learning at CEES
-
Celebrating Dr. Irene Rebecca Namatende
-
Dr Joseph Kimoga: Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence in Priesthood
Education
Understanding the Impact of the Trump Aid Freeze on Higher Education in Uganda
Published
1 week agoon
February 10, 2025By
Mak Editor
By Eutychus Ngotho Gichuru
The announcement of the freezing of foreign aid by U.S. President Donald Trump sent shock waves around the globe, and one of the main sectors that would feel the consequences in Uganda was higher education. American aid had been a godsend for Ugandan universities as many have enjoyed support in their research, scholarship, and infrastructural projects. This withdrawal of such vital financial support has exacerbated existing challenges, making the need for innovative solutions to keep the higher education sector afloat quite urgent.
The Immediate Impact
The freeze in American foreign aid has brought about an immediate financial shock to the Ugandan higher education sector, considering its historical dependence on U.S. funding. The most conspicuous effect is in research funding, where universities have for a long time depended on grants from the USAID and other educational institutions for projects in health, agriculture, and technology. These funds now being frozen means that critical research programs, like HIV/AIDS research at Makerere University, have been brought to a screeching halt. This retardation of scientific progress not only reduces Uganda’s contribution to global research but also impoverishes achievements in public health and technology. Further, scholarships provided by American institutions have been disrupted, which has thrown current beneficiaries into financial crisis and barred any prospective students from opportunities for higher education. The loss of these scholarships goes a long way in affecting student opportunities, especially among those who had avenues of social mobility. Another effect of the freeze has been felt on Ugandan universities regarding infrastructural development, which aims to ease pressures associated with learning environments. Because USAID had previously financed the construction of lecture halls, libraries, and laboratories, institutions without such support could only struggle to maintain quality education facilities, further leading to classroom congestion and resource shortages.
Long-term Educational Consequences
The freezing of this aid has repercussions that go beyond the immediate financial blow to encompass long-term ramifications threatening to unravel stability at higher education in Uganda. Long-term effects include compromises on quality education, whereby with reduced funding, there is the tendency for universities to cut budgets in faculty development; this may be disastrous in securing qualified educators. This may lead to larger class sizes, outdated teaching materials, and a general decline in academic standards. The freeze also threatens international collaborations between Ugandan and American institutions, which have been instrumental in fostering academic exchanges and joint research projects. Loss of these partnerships isolates Uganda from global academic networks, limiting opportunities for knowledge transfer and innovation. Other key concerns are the brain drain, as reduced prospects for research funding and academic growth may drive across the border some of the best scholars and students. This would weaken the nation’s workforce through the exodus of intellectual capital, negatively affecting national development. If not strategically intervened upon, the country will continue experiencing a prolonged educational crisis that may take years to get out of, increasing the gap between Uganda and other more developed academic systems around the world.
Case Studies: The Human Element
In drives to flesh out the human face behind the aid freeze, specific case studies were crucial in regard to Uganda’s higher education sector. Makerere University, recognized for its research excellence and the country’s premier institution, has suffered immensely due to funding disruptions. Projects focusing on HIV/AIDS research, which were largely supported by American grants, are now at risk of stagnation. This indeed, affects not only the university’s standing globally but also the greater fight against HIV/AIDS within Uganda, which has had tremendous progress in combating the epidemic. Similarly, Kyambogo University has emerged with programs in special education and vocational training; however, it faces acute setbacks. In this regard, various programs aimed at supporting students with different abilities can no longer easily secure alternative funding, thus marginalizing such groups as far as the educationist support is concerned. These examples epitomize that freezing of aid is not an abstract financial problem; it’s real people-students, educators, and researchers-dependent on American aid to advance interests for their career and academic objectives. The money dried up-cuts across the lives, damped aspirations, and threatens wiping out years of gains in this East African country.
What Can Be Done?
Regardless of whether the crisis has been less or more severe, there are a few approaches that could help the higher education sector in Uganda reduce the shock of the freezing of aid: first, diversification of funding. First and foremost, the Ugandan government should prioritize education in its budget to ensure that universities receive appropriate financial support. This might be supplemented by the introduction of educational bonds, specific education taxes, and the increase in national research grants. Additionally, deeper interaction with the private sector can promote scholarships, endowments, and research grants that orient education to market demands. Secondly, international partnerships with non-American institutions in Europe, Asia, and Africa could also provide sources of funding and collaboration opportunities. Further, the institutional resilience would be enhanced by cost management and income generation. The universities should also maximize all their financial resources by embracing full digital transformation-which would lower dependence on real estate infrastructure-while looking out for other opportunities like online course sales and offering consultancy services. Thirdly and lastly, there is also advocacy and influencing policy. For this, it is important that educational bodies urge the U.S. government toward exemptions or reviews of the foreign aid policy. Domestically, there is a need for policies that emphasize education funding and incentivize private sector investment in academia. Alumni networks can also be leveraged to make contributions toward university endowments, which could be used to grant scholarships and finance research projects. Finally, there is a need to adapt to new realities through curriculum reform and technological integration. Ugandan universities should, therefore, design curricula with an emphasis on practical skills that reduce foreign aid dependence by making them self-sustaining. Integrating technology in education, such as offering online courses to international students, can also generate revenue and expand Uganda’s academic influence globally.
Conclusion
The Trump aid freeze serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of educational systems that overly depend on foreign assistance. For Uganda, it is a call to action-an opportunity to restructure and fortify its higher education framework to become more self-sufficient and resilient. While the immediate implications of the freeze are indeed daunting, this crisis offers an opportunity for innovation, new partnerships, and construction of sustainable funding mechanisms. Diversification of funding sources, reinforcement of institutional resilience, policy advocacy, alumni engagement, community outreach, and new educational models-these are how Uganda’s higher education sector may surmount the setback and grow stronger. The future of Ugandan higher education lies in strategic adaptation, not dependence. The proactive steps will be more appropriate. This crisis can accelerate the wheels of long-term improvement in the performance of Uganda universities with stakeholders’ timely intervention so that even with falling global finance, Uganda universities may continue to prosper.
Eutychus Ngotho Gichuru is a Doctoral Student at East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University.
Education
Mapping Research in Education: A Baseline Study on PhD Completion and Emerging Research Themes
Published
3 weeks agoon
January 30, 2025By
Mak Editor
This report on mapping research in education intends to ignite debate on completion of doctoral studies to improve on doctoral throughput, and reflect on emerging research themes in order to strengthen and increase on evidence-based research from the College of Education and External Studies (CEES) that can address a myriad of education related challenges in Uganda and beyond. The College of Education and External Studies (CEES) is one of the ten (10) constituent colleges of Makerere University. Makerere University aspires to be research-led in the current strategic period, 2020-2030 and as CEES journeys ‘Towards a Research-led College’, it is prudent to take stock of research capacity by analyzing PhD graduates of the period 2012-2024 and continuing PhD students admitted by 2022/2023 as well as the emerging research themes in CEES.
First, the total number of PhD completers was 121 in the period 2012-2024 out of whom only six (6) completed in less than 5 years, which is only 5 percent. This is a worrying statistic since at Makerere University, an institutional average of 41% of registered PhD students is reported to complete within four (4) years. Apparently, majority of the completers in CEES complete in 5-9 years represented by 86 PhD graduates. In the same way, among the continuing PhD students, only 59 out of 194 PhD students have spent 3-4 years on the programme perhaps because their year of admission is relatively recent. Second, the research themes that the doctoral research focuses on were explored. Nineteen (19) out of 121 PhD graduates had researched on human resource management, eleven (11) focused on technology in education, eleven (11) on pedagogy/teaching and learning, and only five (5) on inclusive education among others. In the continuing student cohort, there is a surge in students researching on pedagogy /teaching and learning (24), technology in education (20), inclusive education (16), and emergence of a research theme on STEM Education/TVET (17) out of 194 continuing PhD students.
To compound the research themes at CEES, PhD student and academic staff research funded by the Government of Uganda through Makerere University Research and Innovation Fund (MakRIF) focused on quite similiar themes. Finally, areas of research that have been dominant across specialities in CEES in the last and next 5-10 years were highlighted by 28 academic staff at different ranks who responded to a survey. Overall, this report presents us with an opportunity to further reflect on the CEES Research Agenda, how to tap and maximize the potential of expertise in CEES, how to harness the diverse PhD research in education and research by academic staff in order to strongly generate impactful research and innovations, and contribute to policy and practice through policy briefs, knowledge briefs, and guidelines for uptake in education and the education system.
Ronald Bisaso, PhD. FUNAS.
Associate Professor of Higher Education and Deputy Principal, CEES.
Education
DSTVE Welcomes New Leadership as Dr. Batiibwe Takes Over
Published
3 weeks agoon
January 30, 2025
The Department of Science, Technical and Vocational Education (DSTVE) at the School of Education, College of Education and External Studies (CEES) witnessed a transition in leadership on January 28, 2025, as Dr. John Ssentongo officially handed over the reins to Dr. Marjorie Batiibwe. The handover ceremony, presided over by the Dean of the School of Education, Prof. Mulumba Mathias, was attended by key stakeholders, including Mr. Mutebi Patrick from the Directorate of Human Resources, Ms. Mbabazi Winnie from Internal Audit, and other departmental staff.
In his farewell remarks, Dr. Ssentongo, who has served as Head of Department (HoD) for four years, expressed his gratitude to the university management, CEES leadership, and DSTVE staff for their unwavering support throughout his tenure. He highlighted several accomplishments during his leadership, including:
- Curriculum Development – Successful reviews of the Bachelor of Science with Education, Postgraduate Diploma in Education, and Master of Education Science Education programs.
- Infrastructure Upgrades – Renovation of the DSTVE building, refurbishment of the Resource Center, and enhancement of laboratories.
- Staff Development – Promotion of several academic staff and recruitment of new lecturers.
- Campus Beautification – Landscaping and greening of the DSTVE compound to enhance the learning environment.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Mulumba Mathias, Dean of the School of Education, commended Dr. Ssentongo for his dedicated service and transformative leadership at DSTVE. He acknowledged the outgoing HoD’s efforts in strengthening the academic and administrative structure of the department, particularly in curriculum development and facility improvements.
“Dr. Ssentongo has demonstrated exceptional leadership, resilience, and dedication in steering DSTVE towards excellence. His tenure has set a solid foundation for growth, and we are confident that Dr. Batiibwe will continue this momentum. The School of Education remains committed to supporting DSTVE in addressing existing challenges, particularly in staffing and resource mobilization,” remarked Prof. Mulumba.
He further urged Dr. Batiibwe to build on the department’s achievements and work closely with university leadership to advance technical and vocational education.
In her acceptance speech, Dr. Marjorie Batiibwe expressed her commitment to building on the successes of her predecessor, strengthening academic programs, and addressing the critical staffing gaps. She emphasized the need for collaborative leadership to propel DSTVE to greater heights.
As DSTVE embarks on this new chapter, the department remains steadfast in its mission to train skilled educators and enhance technical and vocational education in Uganda.
Trending
-
Health2 weeks ago
Meet Laura Silovsky, a Makerere University Graduate with Refugee Roots Bridging Continents
-
General2 weeks ago
Press Statement: Clarification on Issues Raised During the Ongoing Conversations on the X Platform
-
General2 weeks ago
Prof. Nawangwe urges young people to take up leadership in innovation for the transformation of Africa
-
General1 week ago
91st Electoral Commission Promises a free and fair Electoral Process
-
General2 weeks ago
CAES, CHS & CoVAB Receive Buses to Enhance Fieldwork, Outreaches