General
Makerere University is making significant progress toward inclusivity
Uganda joined the global community on December 3rd, 2024, to commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which promotes the rights and well-being of people with disabilities (PWDs).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2023, approximately 1.3 billion people worldwide live with significant disabilities, and many of them encounter substantial barriers to accessing higher education. Statistics from the Dean of Students Office at Makerere University indicate that the number of students with disabilities has steadily increased. For the 2024/2025 academic year, the university welcomed over 100 students with disabilities.
We spoke to Sam Omukaga, a 22-year-old first-year student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Adult and Community Education at Makerere University. He shared his testimony on coping with a physical disability while studying there.
Sam, the second of six children, comes from Manafwa District. He completed his Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) at Hope Primary School before attending Rock High School in Tororo for his O and A levels. He attained 12 points in History, Economics, Divinity, and Entrepreneurship.
Despite attaining 12 points, Sam did not qualify for the Bachelor of Education course on Government sponsorship at Makerere University, prompting him to seek other opportunities to join the university.
“Since childhood, I have dreamed of attending Makerere University, but my parents could not afford the tuition. Therefore, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University for giving me this opportunity to study. I used to think that Makerere was only for wealthy people,” Sam said.
When Sam enrolled at Makerere University, a place he believed was meant for the wealthy, he was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome he received from his lecturers and fellow students, many of whom were older than him.
“As a student with a physical disability, I have never felt discriminated against. The university has made significant efforts to create a supportive environment for students like me. Students with disabilities enroll, study, and graduate with the same skills and qualifications as their peers,” noted Sam.
Although his condition sometimes restricts his movements, it has not impacted his social life. He actively participates in sports and entertainment, which has helped boost his confidence. In his village, he farms and teaches at a nearby primary school.
He urges all students living with disabilities to make friends with students who are not facing similar challenges because they need their help and support. He also encourages new students living with disabilities to enjoy every moment at the university.
“Some students living with disabilities tend to befriend others with disabilities, but I would advise them also to have friends without disabilities,” Sam guided.
Education plays a crucial role in determining one’s success. Therefore, Sam encourages all individuals with disabilities to study diligently.
“Being a student living with disabilities does not mean that one’s intellect is disabled. Focus on your education so that when an opportunity arises, you are prepared to seize it. Fortunately, policies in place encourage organizations to employ persons with disabilities. Read diligently, as books are a reliable source of knowledge,” Sam said.
As someone who walks on crutches, his biggest challenge is movement. He calls upon the University management to design facilities that accommodate students with different impairments, be it visual, auditory, physical, or cognitive.
What the University is doing
Under the office of the Dean of Students, Makerere University has led the implementation of strategies to create a supportive environment for students with disabilities.
According to Dr. Winifred Kabumbuli, the Dean of Students, the university has a policy for persons with disabilities (PWDs) and a disability scheme.
Upon admission, students are accommodated in halls of residence featuring designated spaces for improved accessibility. Dr Kabumbuli explained that “most PWDs occupy ground floor rooms in their respective halls, which helps to reduce accessibility challenges.”
Financial Assistance
However, that is not the only support available. Dr. Kabumbuli explains that students enrolled in the disability scheme receive financial assistance to help them acquire the necessary equipment and materials for their studies. Additionally, guides and interpreters for students who require these services are paid a salary for this support.
Helpers/Interpreters/Guides allowances
The helpers and interpreters are entitled to accommodation, meals, utilities, security, and sports facilities. The Main Library offers several exclusive benefits for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
According to Elizabeth Rwabu, the Inclusion and Safeguarding Officer at the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University, the library features three rooms on the ground floor designated for PWDs: an equipped computer lab for users with visual impairments, a computer lab with accessible computers for PWDs, and a dedicated study room for PWDs.
Extracurricular activities are another area in which the university supports PWDs. Students participate in annual Inter-University games.
The Persons with Disabilities Act stipulates that a person in charge of a building to which the public is allowed to access shall, subject to the requirements of the law on building standards and other relevant laws, provide appropriate access for PWDs to the building. Right now, it is a University Council Policy that all new buildings must be user-friendly to students with disabilities. Most teaching facilities have ramps, lifts, and special access areas to improve accessibility for wheelchair users.
A winding ramp runs alongside the entire Frank Kalimuzo and Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facilities. Some parts of Mary Stuart Hall, the Arts/CHUSS Building and old buildings like the Department of Chemistry have recently been fitted with ramps.
To ensure that laws safeguarding the rights of students and staff living with disabilities are fully implemented, the University set up a disability centre that serves as a one-stop facility for students with disabilities to access the necessary learning equipment, counsellors, and support.
Leadership
Students with disabilities participate in leadership at the hall, college and guild house levels.
Nature of disability
The following are some of the types of disabilities that are considered in the selection of applicants with disabilities for undergraduate courses at Makerere University
(a) Severe visual impairment
(b) Low Vision
(c) Severe Hearing impairment
(d) Hard of hearing
(e) Mobility appliances
(f) Physical Disability
(g) Albinism
(h) Chronic medical problems (sickle cell, Epilepsy, Asthma etc)
Makerere University has officially launched its Strategic Plan 2025-2030, marking a major milestone in its commitment to strengthening research, innovation, and human capital development in line with Uganda’s national development priorities.
The launch brought together senior government officials, university leadership, and development planners, including the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, and a representative from the National Planning Authority (NPA), alongside the University Vice Chancellor.
A Vision Anchored in National Transformation
Speaking at the launch, the Vice Chancellor underscored the University’s ambition to significantly expand graduate training and strengthen its contribution to national development. He noted that the institution is targeting a return to pre-COVID enrolment levels and a substantial increase in postgraduate numbers by 2030, with a focus on producing highly skilled graduates, innovators, and researchers.
He emphasized that the Strategic Plan positions the University as a key driver of Uganda’s transformation through knowledge generation, innovation, and entrepreneurship, aligned with national priorities.
“The staffing distribution is shown here. Under the approved establishment, we intended to have 419 Professors, but we currently have only 75. We planned for 473 Associate Professors, but currently have only 144. This clearly demonstrates that we still have considerable room for growth in strengthening our academic staff profile,” the VC said.
The VC appreciated researchers and research centres, that continue to attract substantial research funding. He highlighted the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) and the Makerere University Walter Reed Project which attracted approximately US$70 million in international research funding into Uganda.
“When you combine the grants won by all our researchers through competitive international funding, the total exceeds US$200 million,” he said.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the University Council, Dr. Lorna Magara, described the Strategic Plan as more than an institutional roadmap, calling it “a public covenant with the people of Uganda.”
She noted that the Plan marks “the launch of Makerere University’s next chapter,” adding that decisions taken over the next five years will shape not only the future of the institution, but also Uganda’s development trajectory through graduates, research, innovations, and leadership.
Dr. Magara emphasized Makerere’s unique national role as Uganda’s premier public university, entrusted with public resources and public confidence.
“Every investment made in Makerere must produce measurable value for the people of Uganda,” she said, underscoring the need for accountability, integrity, and impact.
Ambitious Targets for Transformation
The Council Chairperson and the Vice chancellor outlined bold performance targets under the Strategic Plan, including doubling postgraduate enrolment, increasing STEM enrolment from 30% to 55%, improving PhD completion rates from 10% to 35%, and more than doubling peer-reviewed research output, alongside a significant rise in patents and innovations.
Dr. Magara stressed that these targets are not aspirations alone but binding commitments against which institutional performance will be measured.
“Ambition is precisely what this moment demands. A strategic plan is not measured by the elegance of its language, but by the lives it transforms,” she said.
Call for Stronger Governance and Legal Reform
Dr. Magara also highlighted the need for reform of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, Cap. 262, noting that the current legal framework has not kept pace with the evolving realities of university governance and innovation.
She called on Government and Parliament to support a timely review of the Act to enable universities to better optimise knowledge systems, productive assets, and innovation capacity in support of national development.
Government Endorsement and Strategic Alignment
Hon. Henry Musasizi commended the University for developing a forward-looking Strategic Plan aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), which serves as the foundation for the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
He explained that Uganda’s ambition to grow its economy from about USD 50 billion to USD 500 billion requires accelerated growth driven by productivity gains, innovation, and strong human capital development.
“Universities are central actors in national transformation. They are engines of knowledge creation, innovation, and human capital development,” he said.
The Minister stressed that government priorities include strengthening research, promoting industrialization, and ensuring that knowledge generated in universities is translated into practical solutions that support economic growth. He further highlighted the importance of accountability, efficiency, and value for money in public investments in higher education.
Universities as Drivers of the Tenfold Growth Strategy
In his presentation, the Senior Planner at the National Planning Authority, Samuel Kasule, emphasized that the Strategic Plan is firmly anchored in Uganda’s comprehensive development framework under Vision 2040 and NDP IV.
He noted that the Tenfold Growth Strategy seeks to accelerate Uganda’s economic growth into double-digit territory, enabling the country to achieve structural transformation and reach upper middle-income status.
Kasule underscored that universities play a critical role in this transformation through labour productivity, research, and innovation. He pointed out that priority sectors such as agriculture, tourism, minerals, oil and gas, and ICT depend heavily on skilled graduates and strong research ecosystems.
He also highlighted the importance of competency-based education, alignment of academic programmes with national human resource needs, and strengthening postgraduate training and research outputs.
A Shared Commitment to Transformation
Across all speeches, a strong message emerged: universities are central to Uganda’s development agenda and must evolve into research-intensive institutions that directly contribute to economic transformation.
The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 was widely commended for its focus on innovation, industry collaboration, digital transformation, and the commercialization of research outputs.
Government leaders reaffirmed continued support for higher education institutions through research funding, innovation ecosystems, and strengthened university–industry partnerships.
Conclusion
The launch of the Strategic Plan 2030 signals a renewed commitment to positioning the University as a key partner in Uganda’s development journey. With strong alignment to national priorities, the Plan is expected to accelerate research, innovation, and skills development necessary for achieving Uganda’s long-term economic ambitions. The Strategic Plan may be accessed at: https://mak.ac.ug/about/strategic-plan
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