General
Prof. Nawangwe urges Makerere University community to support the Mastercard Foundation E-learning Initiative
By Bernard Buteera
Makerere University has launched a two million dollar E-learning Project, dubbed The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program E-learning initiative.
The launch was held on Tuesday 20th September 2022 at Makerere University, Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium. It attracted over 200 participants, who included members of University Management, College Principals, School Deans, Academic and Administrative staff, students and the general university community.
While addressing the gathering, the Chief Guest, Prof. Mary Okwakol, the Executive Director of National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), congratulated Makerere University for winning such a huge grant, which will go a long way in transforming the eLearning infrastructure at Makerere University.
“I am happy to be joining you in launching a project that is at the heart of National Council for Higher Education. Online learning is at the heart of the Council, not only because of the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, but also the world is now a digital world.” Prof. Okwakol remarked.
Prof. Okwakol thanked Mastercard Foundation and other development partners who have continued to support initiatives that help transform higher institutions of learning in Uganda.
“I sincerely thank the Mastercard Foundation and other partners who have continued to support higher education in Uganda, especially in the area of research and online learning. Globally, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, greatly disrupted education systems forcing learners and some schools to shift to virtual learning to curb the spread of the pandemic.” Prof. Okwakol pointed out.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe urged the university community, especially the academic staff to take advantage of the Mastercard Foundation E-learning initiative to develop e-content across all Colleges of the University, to enhance capacity for eLearning at Makerere University.
”I appeal to the Colleges to embrace this project and have as many courses adopt this pedagogy development system, even though students will continue with face-to face and phyisical learning, they should be allowed the option of online learning. The platforms that are going to be built, will give our students an opportunity to interact with international students, scholars, teachers and with each other.” Prof. Nawangwe applealed.
The Vice Chancellor, further called upon all other development partners to emulate Mastercard Foundation in supporting Makerere University and other universities on the entire African continent in strengthening digital literacy, so that Africa is not left behind.
”In 2018 I attended a conference on E-learning in Beijing China, where a critical question was asked; Will Africa be left behind again? This was in reference to many advancements that were taking place in the western world, in which Africa had been left behind.” The Vice Chancellor reminded the audience.
Prof. Nawangwe further emphaised the importance of e-learning as one of the critical modes of teaching and learning in the 21st first century.
”Ladies and Gentlemen, I cannot over emphasise the importance we attach to e-learning the 21st Century, that is why we took a decision to elevate the Department of Open and Distance Learning into an Institute of Open and Distance E-learning with an intention of having e-learning extended to other Colleges of the university.” Prof. Nawangwe pointed out.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs, and Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the E-learning Initiative, Prof. Umar Kakumba, rallied the University community to support the implementation of the project in the University.
“The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program E-learning initiative could not have come in at a better time than post COVID19 era. A pandemic, which exposed our systems and methods of teaching and learning. You all recall, when were hit by the pandemic, with lockdowns and closures of institutions of learning, we all went into a panicky mode on how were going to cope with online learning. I therefore call upon every member of the university to give this project the support it deserves.
Prof. Kakumba reminded the audience the importance and relevancy of online learning at Makerere University and other universities in Uganda.
“The online method of learning is best suited for everyone. This digital revolution has led to remarkable changes in how the content is accessed, consumed, discussed, and shared. Office goers and stay home mothers can take up online educational courses too, at the time that suits them. Depending on their availability and comfort, many people choose to learn at weekends or evenings.” Prof. Kakumba remarked.
Prof. Paul Birevu Muyinda, the Coordinator of the Mastercard Foundation E-learning Initiative, informed the audience the importance of the project and the expected outcomes for the University.
“The Mastercard Foundation e- Learning Initiative is a Project funded by Mastercard Foundation aimed at addressing the negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic that constrained access and continuity of teaching, learning, research and community engagement activities at Makerere University” Prof. Muyinda pointed out.
Prof. Muyinda further thanked the team that he worked with in putting up the proposal in a very short time that yielded such an important grant for the University.
“I thank the team that spent sleepless nights putting together the proposal that resulted into this project. I must report that Makerere University is privileged to be having the most highly qualified persons in online instruction design and online pedagogy at the IODeL and beyond. It is now up to Makerere University in particular and the Country in general to make use of these persons to transform the terrain of online, blended distance and e-learning education.” Prof. Muyinda remarked.
Prof. Justine Namaalwa, the Program Coordinator for Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University, informed the audience, that the E-learning initiative was one of the many partnerships between Mastercard Foundation and Makerere University geared at supporting the young people to succeed on the African continent.
“The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program continues to recognize that in order to enable young people across Africa to succeed, there is need to; Address systemic barriers in Higher education, Strengthen the capacity of Institutions that serve the Young People, and Support innovative solutions across critical sectors.” Prof. Namaalwa remarked.
The colourful launch ended with a panel discussion in which panelists digested the importance and opportunities for open distance and eLearning in higher institutions of learning.
Bernard Buteera is the Communications Officer of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.
An extraordinary sitting of the Uganda Vice Chancellors Forum (UVCF) meeting at Makerere University on 23rd June 2025 has made a special appeal for the scientific evaluation of the impact of the Higher Education Access Certificate (HEAC) programme as its future hangs in a balance. The sitting was hosted by the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza and addressed by the Executive Director UVCF, Prof. Eriabu Lugujjo, Chairperson UVCF and Vice Chancellor Busitema University, Prof. Paul Waako and representative from the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), Dr. Maria Nakachwa and a representative from the HEAC programme, Prof. David Orema.
Welcoming members of the Forum to Makerere University, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi expressed warm regards from the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe who was away on official duty. Turning to the agenda of the day, he said “I find the proposed items on the order paper quite pertinent given the time, as we offer guidance and input towards our next journey in higher education.
“We believe that by the close of the day, we should be able to come up with a position paper that will inform the next course of action in this regard” remarked Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi in reference to the scheduled updates from NCHE on the HEAC Programme.
The ED UVCF, Prof. Eriabu Lugujjo in his remarks thanked Makerere University for accepting to host the extraordinary session at short notice. Commenting on the successful reconstruction of the Main Building he said, “90% of the Vice Chancellors gathered today had not been here since the conflagration so we wish to commend you on the quality of work, especially the preservation of history.” He reiterated the host Vice Chancellor’s hope that the sitting would come up with unified resolution on important issues pertaining to the Higher Education sector.
The Chairperson, Prof. Paul Waako thanked the Africa Renewal University for the warm hospitality accorded during the 75th meeting of the UVCF and congratulated Universities upon participating in the National Science Week and Summit 2025.
“This is a very good forum for institutions to interact, share progress on innovations and catch up with how far the country is progressing in science, technology and innovation. The new addition this year was the Science Summit, which is supposed to bring together all scientists in this country and out of that we would like to generate a position paper on science, technology and innovation, which we are insisting should be discussed by Cabinet every year” Prof. Waako remarked.
The Chairperson UVCF noted that the extraordinary meeting had been called on short notice to feed into ongoing discussions at high levels regarding the HEAC programme and the recently passed Uganda Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Act, 2025. He noted that the TVET Act has big implications on Higher Education training at Diploma and Certificate level, warranting a discussion by Vice Chancellors.
Stakeholders from NCHE and the Commissioner for Higher Education and Training in the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) were invited to enrich the discussion. Equally invited were; Prof. David Orema who worked with NCHE to develop the HEAC programme and the first training programme at Busitema University, Incoming and 24th Guild President of Gulu University and HEAC beneficiary Mr. Alex Opio Ongom, a student representative from Kabale University, and the first female graduate engineer from Buyende District – also a HEAC beneficiary.
Giving an overview of the HEAC programme, Dr. Nakachwa observed that Uganda remains a hub of Higher Education in the region and the programme acts as a good bridge for international students who need to meet entry requirements of Ugandan institutions. She also pointed to the fact that the HEAC programme acts as a remedial programme for students who sat and completed the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) but did not attain sufficient grades to enroll for Diplomas or Degree programmes.
“Looking at the recently released UNEB exams, people with one principal pass were 29,000. Where are they going? Are they going to repeat? Very few do. In 2023, 18,000 students got one principal pass. Should we deny them access to the Ugandan Higher Education?” she pondered.
Dr. Nakachwa added that NCHE, which is mandated by the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act to set minimum entry requirements to any certificate, diploma or degree programme developed minimum standards for the HEAC programme in 2016, with institutions having the leeway to add two or three courses to help students cope with the rigour.
“This is well prescribed in Instrument 34 of 2008. It is a Level 4 of the Uganda Education qualifications framework because it is Post-A-Level, and the Higher Education Certificate Programme was approved by the National Council for Higher Education in 2016” elaborated Dr. Nakachwa.
She added that the HEAC is intended for four categories of students; 1) foreign students whose education system differs from Uganda’s, 2) a remedy programme for students with A-Level qualifications but not admissible for Diplomas and Bachelors, 3) holders of vocational qualifications i.e. holders of national certificates from the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) intending to pursue higher education, and 4) a bridge for the science/arts divide for students who may have passed sciences at O-Level but pursued arts at A-Level and thereafter, seek to pursue clinical or nursing programmes.
Furthermore, she noted that the change in nomenclature from the Higher Education Certificate (HEC) to the Higher Education Access Certificate (HEAC) programme was as recommended by a 2022 review, that also recommended an increase in subject content for the Biological and Physical sciences tracks of the programme. The HEAC also offers a third General track for arts. Nevertheless, students on all three tracks are required to interact with content in the three areas of; Life Skills Education, Study Skills and Academic Writing, and Foundations of Mathematics and Statistics.
Sharing results as at December 2024, Dr. Nakachwa noted that 21 out of the 56 registered Higher Education Institutions in Uganda are accredited to run the HAEC programme, with a total of 3,908 students enrolled. “We have learnt some lessons which include; having the regulatory frameworks reviewed is critical, and continuous engagement with stakeholders is paramount.”
The presentation by the National Council for Higher Education guided the discussions for the rest of the UVCF sitting, which concluded with the resolution to develop a position paper. Thereafter, the UVCF was led on guided tour of the reconstructed Main Building by the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi.
On Tuesday, 17th June 2025, a distinguished delegation from the Mastercard Foundation Board visited Makerere University for the first time since the establishment of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the university. The visit underscored the progress achieved through the partnership and its positive impact on the university community, Uganda and the African continent over the past decade. The delegation was welcomed to Makerere by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, accompanied by Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and Prof. Justine Namaalwa, the Program Director for Mastercard Foundation at Makerere University.
The high-profile delegation was led by Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the former President of Liberia and the first woman to hold the presidential office on the African continent. She serves on the Board alongside other members such as Mr. Zein M. Abdalla, the Board Chairperson; Ms. Jennifer Fonsted; Mr. Jim Leech; Mr. Stephen Toope; Ms. Sewit Ahderom; Ms. Baroness Valerie; Hon. Louise Arbour; Ms. Tsega Gebreyes; Mr. Jay Ireland; Mr. Michael Sabia; Ms. Carole Wamayu; Ms. Robin Washington; and Ms. Reeta Roy, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mastercard Foundation. Additionally, the Board members were accompanied by the leadership team of the Mastercard Foundation, including Mr. Doug Kasambala, Chief Financial Officer; Ms. Ivy Mwai, Education and Skills Lead; Mr. Adrian Bukenya, Country Director for Mastercard Foundation-Uganda Programs; and Ms. Rachel Nandelenga, Head of Country Program Communications.
The Mastercard Foundation Board conducted a series of meetings with various stakeholders at Makerere University. The meetings begun with the University Leadership, which featured key figures such as Rt. Hon. Daniel Kidega, the Deputy Chairperson of the University Council and Chairperson of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Advisory Board at Makerere; Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor; Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Chairperson of the Steering Committee for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program; and Mr. Yusuf Kiranda, the University Secretary.
While addressing the delegation, Vice Chancellor Prof. Nawangwe expressed gratitude for the partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and Makerere University. He highlighted the Foundation’s impact on Africa’s higher education sector and the livelihoods of young people across the continent.
“We are privileged to host Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, along with other Members of the Board of Mastercard Foundation and the Foundation’s President and CEO, Ms. Reeta Roy, for the first time at Makerere University. The Mastercard Foundation has significantly impacted Uganda and Africa’s higher education sector and the livelihoods of young people, for which we are very grateful,” Prof. Nawangwe remarked.
Prof. Nawangwe also expressed appreciation to the Mastercard Foundation for its partnerships with Makerere University, which began with the Scholars Program and now encompasses additional initiatives such as the E-learning Initiative and, most recently, the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Collaborative project.
During the meeting with the Scholars Program staff, the Program Director, Prof. Justine Namaalwa, had the opportunity to outline the achievements of the first 10 years (First phase) of the Scholars Program at Makerere University and shed light on the future of the second phase of the Program at Makerere University.
Among the achievements highlighted by Prof. Namaalwa during the first phase were the following:
- The Program supported 1,032 young people, of whom 76% were females and 24% were males.
- As of January 2025, 965 Scholars had graduated, achieving an exceptional completion rate of 94%.
- Scholar Alumni have moved on to various pursuits, including formal employment (34%), entrepreneurship (11%), and further education (3%).
- Strengthening the Student Mentorship Engagements through capacity-building sessions for 97 university staff across the colleges, which benefits both the Scholars and other students.
- Drafting the Makerere University Career Guidance and Mentorship Policy to streamline mentorship engagements across the university. The Policy is currently under review by the University Council.
- As of 2024, the Scholars Entrepreneurship Fund has created 86 jobs across various communities.
- The Scholars made a positive impact on communities through their Annual Day of Service, supporting twelve communities by constructing boreholes for clean water access in two communities and building and equipping classrooms in three communities.
Prof. Namaalwa also elaborated on the accomplishments thus far in the second phase of the Scholars Program by highlighting the following;
- 101 Scholars recruited into the Program across different categories.
- Prioritizing the safety of students and staff, emphasized by the well-articulated Makerere University Safeguarding Policy and its implementation activities.
- A fully operational Disability Inclusion Support Centre.
On the other day’s activities, the Board also had the chance to view a mini-exhibition showcasing projects implemented by the alumni scholars. Furthermore, they engaged in a focus group discussion with both the Scholars and alumni.
On their part, the Board members expressed gratitude to Makerere University Management, led by Prof. Nawangwe, for the tremendous achievements the university had attained through the implementation of the Scholars Program and other initiatives aimed at uplifting underprivileged young people in Uganda and Africa. The Board members also expressed their appreciation to Prof. Namaalwa and the Scholars Program for the excellent job done in implementing the Scholars Program and for the continuous support provided to the Scholars and Scholar-alumni.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nawangwe, concluded the day by presenting each visitor with an unforgettable souvenir of Makerere, which included exquisite Makerere University coffee mugs and executive pens.
Mr. Bernard Buteera is the Principal Communication and Public Relations Officer of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University
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