Education

Understanding the Impact of the Trump Aid Freeze on Higher Education in Uganda

Published

14 hours ago

February 10, 2025

Mak Editor

Eutychus Ngotho Gichuru is a Doctoral Student at East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, College of Education and External Studies (CEES), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa. — Eutychus Ngotho Gichuru is a Doctoral Student at East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, College of Education and External Studies (CEES), Makerere University.

_{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.

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Mapping Research in Education: A Baseline Study on PhD Completion and Emerging Research Themes

Education

Mapping Research in Education: A Baseline Study on PhD Completion and Emerging Research Themes

Published

2 weeks ago

January 30, 2025

Mak Editor

The Deputy Principal CEES, Prof. Ronald Bisaso presents canidadates for the conferment of degrees during the Second Session of Makerere University's 72nd Graduation Ceremony on 24th May 2022.

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.

Mapping Research in Education – MakCEES – Ronald Bisaso, PhD FUNAS Download

Education

DSTVE Welcomes New Leadership as Dr. Batiibwe Takes Over

Published

2 weeks ago

January 30, 2025

Betty Kyakuwa

Dean School of Education-Prof. Mulumba Mathias (2nd L), Directorate of Human Resources' Mr. Patrick Mutebi (2nd R), Internal Audit Directorate's Ms. Mbabazi Winnie (R) and another official witness as Dr. John Ssentongo (3rd R) hands over to Dr. Marjorie Batiibwe (3rd L). Department of Science, Technical and Vocational Education (DSTVE), School of Education, College of Education and External Studies (CEES) transition in leadership from Dr. John Ssentongo to Dr. Marjorie Batiibwe, January 28, 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

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.

Education

Over 40 UBTEB Students Graduate from the Centre for Life-Long Learning at CEES

Published

2 weeks ago

January 24, 2025

Betty Kyakuwa

Officials pose for a group photo with some of the over 40 graduates of the 6th Cohort of UBTEB-accredited diplomas and certificates offered by CLL. Centre for Life-Long Learning (CLL), College of Education and External Studies (CEES) over 40 students of the 6th Cohort successfully graduate with diplomas and certificates in various fields accredited by the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB), 24th January 2025, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) Conference Hall, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University’s Centre for Life-Long Learning (CLL) under the College of Education and External Studies celebrated a significant milestone on January 24, 2025, as over 40 students successfully graduated with diplomas and certificates in various fields accredited by the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB).

The graduation ceremony, held at Makerere University, marked the sixth cohort to complete their academic programs at the Centre, highlighting its role in equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary for professional and personal growth.

The ceremony included a moment of pride for Namagembe Saidat, who emerged as the best-performing student. She graduated with a Diploma in Secretarial Studies, achieving an outstanding CGPA of 4.86. Saidat’s accomplishment reflects the Centre’s commitment to academic excellence and nurturing top-tier professionals.

Left to Right: Dr. Oscar Mugula, Dr. Harriet Nabushawo, Namagembe Saidat, who emerged as the best-performing student and another official pose for a group photo. Centre for Life-Long Learning (CLL), College of Education and External Studies (CEES) over 40 students of the 6th Cohort successfully graduate with diplomas and certificates in various fields accredited by the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB), 24th January 2025, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) Conference Hall, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa. — **Left to Right: Dr. Oscar Mugula, Dr. Harriet Nabushawo, Namagembe Saidat, who emerged as the best-performing student and another official pose for a group photo.**

In his address, Dr. Oscar Mugula, the National Coordinator of CLL, congratulated the graduates for their resilience and hard work over the two years of study. He commended the government for revising the admission policy for diploma programs, which now requires only one principal pass instead of two. This policy adjustment, he noted, has significantly increased student enrollment and widened access to higher education opportunities.

Dr. Mugula also encouraged the graduates to register with professional bodies as technicians, emphasizing that such affiliations would enhance their employability and competitiveness in the job market.

Speaking on behalf of the Principal of the College of Education and External Studies (CEES), Dr. Harriet Nabushawo extended gratitude to the government, particularly the Ministry of Education and Sports, and UBTEB for entrusting CEES with the training of diverse education stakeholders. She further thanked Makerere University’s management for its unwavering support of the College’s activities and acknowledged the collaboration with the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, which provides access to laboratories and workshops essential for student training.

Dr. Harriet Nabushawo (Centre), Dr. Oscar Mugula (Right) and another official follow proceedings. Centre for Life-Long Learning (CLL), College of Education and External Studies (CEES) over 40 students of the 6th Cohort successfully graduate with diplomas and certificates in various fields accredited by the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB), 24th January 2025, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) Conference Hall, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Dr. Nabushawo urged the graduates to consider advancing their studies by enrolling in degree programs to further enhance their qualifications. Additionally, she shared valuable life skills and encouraged the graduates to adopt a mindset of continuous learning and self-improvement to remain relevant in a dynamic labor market.

The graduation ceremony underscored the transformative impact of lifelong learning in fostering socio-economic development and empowering individuals to achieve their full potential. The Centre for Life-Long Learning continues to play a pivotal role in bridging educational gaps and promoting inclusivity in higher education.

As the graduates embark on their professional journeys, their success serves as a testament to the dedication of CLL’s faculty and staff, as well as the vital role of Makerere University in nurturing skilled professionals equipped to contribute to national development.