General
Prof. Senteza Kajubi eulogized for enormous contribution towards the education sector
![[L -R] Ms. Amy Petersen - Education and Cultural Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy Kampala; Dr. Ronald Bisaso - Deputy Principal CEES; Mr. Yusuf Kiranda - University Secretary; Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe -Vice Chancellor; H.E William W. Popp - US Ambassador to Uganda; Prof. Anthony Mugagga Muwagga, Principal CEES and Ms. Ellen B. Masi - Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy Kampala at the Yusuf Lule Auditorium before the lecture on 7th November 2023.](https://news.mak.ac.ug/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/4th-Annual-Senteza-Kajubi-Lecture-7thNov2023.jpg)
The United States Ambassador to Uganda His Excellence William W. Popp and Makerere University professors have praised the two-time Vice Chancellor the late Prof. William Senteza Kajubi for his enormous contribution towards the education sector.
This was during the 4th Fulbright memorial lecture held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at Makerere University in memory of a great educationist under the theme: “Uganda’s Higher Education in the Digital Age: Navigating the future through technological advancements”.
According to Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, the Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kajubi left a remarkable legacy, which advocated for equal access to quality education and he is described as the father of the education sector.
“We celebrate him, not only as a leader but also a symbol of unity and resilience. His dedication to our nation’s progress and his unwavering commitment to the development of the education system continue to inspire us all,” he said.
The late Prof. Kajubi is remembered for being the father of Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) that ensured that all children can have access to education.
Prof. Nawangwe called for togetherness to work towards the future of the country as they celebrate the legacy of the late scholar.
He lauded the U.S for their continued commitment to nurturing change makers through its Fulbright Program which facilitates exchange of knowledge, skills and culture. The late Prof Kajubi is celebrated as one of the first Africans to benefit from the Fulbright program in 1952.
The Fulbright program is an international exchange program that is sponsored by the U.S government and it has fostered mutual understanding between the United States and other countries since 1946.
Prof. Nawangwe noted that since the outbreak of Covid 19, the university has continued to embrace digital technology inform of blended learning. And he said the university’s obligation to conducting research that will alleviate Ugandans from poverty is a sign of giving back to the government of Uganda for the investments done at the University.
“We are looking at what we can do in order to help the country to move forward on this digitization front. What we are going to do is to study the other countries that have gone before us, to know what they are doing, and pave away of how best we can do it without repeating what they did,” he said.
“We are recognized as one of the most proficient and research intensive institutions in Africa. And when it comes to clinical medicine, we compete with the best in the world,” He said.
He asked different stakeholders to utilize the available resources to deliver change in their communities saying, “There are countries that are more advanced in the digital platform than we are but I don’t think that can stop us from doing things that they are doing and going further than they have done. We can use the equipment we have like smartphones and simple computers that we can afford that can do the same work that the complex computers in advanced countries can do.” The Vice Chancellor emphasised.
“We must address challenges of climate change, youth unemployment, good governance, emerging diseases among others”.
His Excellency William Popp acknowledged Makerere’s collaboration with the institutions in the US and applauded the VC for the far he has moved the University to being the one of the leading academic institutions in Africa.
He pledged more support and a good working relationship of the US and Makerere University.
Prof Anthony Muwagga Mugagga, the Principal of the College of Education and External Studies called for the need for teachers to incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their teaching and emulate Prof. Ssenteza who did great things in the education terrain for close to 30 years.
“At the start of the year, I asked my colleagues whether robots won’t replace us. But what I know is that a well-trained teacher will never be replaced.” He noted.
He described Prof. Kajubi as a beacon of hope and progress in the field of education. “His unwavering dedication to the betterment of our region, and his indomitable spirit in the face of challenges, serves as an inspiration for all of us in the realm of education”.
On 20th August 2026, Makerere University welcomed another cohort of 258 recipients of the prestigious Mastercard Foundation scholarship for the 2026/2027 academic year with pomp and fanfare. The colourful Scholarship Award Ceremony was presided over by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, who was represented by Prof. Ibrahim Mike Okumu, the Dean of the School of Economics and the Chairperson of the Scholars Selection sub-committee of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.
While addressing the gathering, Prof. Nawangwe reminded the Scholars that the scholarship was both an honour and a responsibility, and that they ought to make the most of it to improve their lives and communities.
“Now that you have stepped through the gates of Makerere University, remember that a scholarship is both an award and a responsibility. You have been chosen because we believe in your potential to lead, innovate, and serve. Makerere University offers you world-class academic resources, mentorship, and networks—but the impact you make with these resources will depend on your discipline, integrity, and vision,” Prof. Nawangwe remarked.
A Call for Responsible Living
The Vice Chancellor further urged the new recruits to embrace university life responsibly and form lasting bonds that will support future networks.
“I encourage you to engage fully and responsibly in University life, build lasting bonds with your peers, and, equally important, keep your home communities close to your heart. Let the knowledge and skills you gain here become the seed for innovative solutions to the challenges facing your communities, our country, Uganda, and the African continent.” Prof Nawangwe emphasised.
Prof. Nawangwe further expressed his gratitude to the Mastercard Foundation for recognising Makerere University as a worthy partner and pledged to continue supporting all the Mastercard Foundation’s initiatives at Makerere University.
Leadership starts with self
Mr. Adrian Bukenya, the Senior Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program globally and the Country Director for Uganda, urged Scholars to embrace leadership, particularly through self-leadership. He emphasised that the Scholars Program is fundamentally a leadership development program.
“The Scholars Program offers more than just a scholarship; it is a leadership development Program. I encourage you, Scholars, to embrace leadership, and leadership starts with leading yourself, then your community, your country and the continent,” Mr. Bukenya emphasised.
Mr. Bukenya expressed his gratitude to the Management of Makerere University for partnering with the Mastercard Foundation on various initiatives. He emphasised that the Foundation is committed to continuing this partnership to educate young people and nurture the next generation of leaders on the African continent.
Selection Process Highlights
On his part, the Chairperson of the Scholars Selection Committee, represented by Mr Charles Ssentongo, the Deputy Academic Registrar responsible for Undergraduate admissions, congratulated all the Scholars who had made it through a very competitive and watertight selection process. To illustrate how tight the selection process had been, he shared compelling statistics that clearly demonstrated its competitiveness.
“We received 3,664 Applications for the Scholarship; 2,904 Undergraduates and 760 master’s students. Of these scholarship applicants, 1,440 Undergraduates and 280 Master’s students were admitted to Makerere University on private sponsorship, and they were all eligible for the Scholarship,” Mr Ssentongo pointed out.
Mr Ssentongo informed the attentive audience that one of the biggest challenges the Committee faced was the very high number of applicants, while the number of scholarships available was always very small. Mr Ssentongo then highlighted further statistics that characterised the tedious selection process.
“For the Undergraduates, 650 applicants were shortlisted for interviews, while 58 Master’s applicants were also shortlisted. Of these, 245 undergraduates and 13 Master’s students were selected for the final award,” Mr Ssentongo highlighted.
Celebrating A Diverse Cohort
The Program Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere, Prof. Justine Namaalwa, used the occasion to highlight achievements made in the years gone by.
“Today, we are overjoyed to have successfully recruited 258 Cohort 9 Scholars—bringing us to the mark of 546 Scholars, 54.6% of the target recruitment of 1,000 Scholars under Phase II of the Program. To date, a total of 1,596 Scholars have been recruited since 2013, when the Scholars Program started at Makerere University,” Prof. Namaalwa announced.
Prof. Namaalwa showcased the diversity created by the Scholars Program, highlighting the arrival of international students from across the African continent at Makerere University through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
“For Cohort 9 Scholars, it’s time to celebrate our diversity in the Program. Let me call out the nationalities represented in the room: Lesotho (1 Scholar), Malawi (1 Scholar), Ghana (1 Scholar), D.R. Congo (13 Scholars), Cameroon (7 Scholars), Burundi (3 Scholars), Rwanda (10 Scholars), South Sudan (40 Scholars) and Tanzania (1 Scholar).” Prof. Namaalwa revealed.
Scholars Speak Out
Nathan Tamba, an international student from Cameroon, conveyed his enthusiasm regarding the opportunities afforded by the scholarship, particularly the prospect of pursuing his studies at Makerere University, recognised as one of the leading institutions on the continent.
“On behalf of my fellow scholars, I would like to express our gratitude to Makerere University and the Mastercard Foundation for awarding us this scholarship. It has given me the opportunity to study at this prestigious university and to experience Uganda for the first time.” Tamba remarked.
Tamba, clearly delighted like his fellow scholars, committed to using the scholarship opportunity to gain knowledge and skills he will use to benefit himself and his community.
The function was punctuated by entertainment from the Makerere University Choir, networking, and plenty of joyous celebration.
Bernard Buteera is Principal Communications Officer for the Scholars Program at Makerere University.
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