Authorities in Luwero district have warned Local Council I (LCI) Chairpersons and teachers against recommending non-resident students for the district quota scheme.
On June 24, 2024, Dr. Safinah Museene Kisu, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports, wrote to the Luwero District Chairperson informing him of a provisional list of nine students selected from the district to benefit from the government sponsorship under the district quota admission scheme for the 2024/2025 academic year.
Dr. Museene requested the Chairperson to verify the students who listed Luwero as their district of origin and confirm they completed the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams in the area. She added that issuing admission letters would depend on verifying the applicants’ information by July 16, 2024.
The selected beneficiaries from Luwero district are:
- Angella Nakwanyi
- Swaburah Nakiyingi
- Faridah Nakiwala
- Annet Nagadya
- Shalom Nantume
- Benon Tumusiime
- Deborah Kisakye Najjibwa
- Arafat Ssozi
- Sylvia Kasuunu
The beneficiaries attended schools including Munta Royal College, Luwero SS, Everest College, Busiika Muslim SS, Bombo SS, Luteete SS, and Ssaku SS.
Upon verification, three of the nine students were found ineligible for the scheme. Erastus Kibirango, the Luwero District Chairperson, explained that these students were actually from Hoima and Wakiso districts but only sat for their UACE exams in Luwero.
Mr. Kibirango said the students, with the help of teachers, sought recommendations from LCI Chairpersons where their schools are located. He added that the students later admitted their parents did not reside in or originate from Luwero district.
Mr. Kibirango said he would write to the Ministry of Education requesting to replace the ineligible students with others from Luwero district.
He also warned the chairpersons and teachers to stop issuing recommendation letters to students who are not residents or whose parents do not reside within their communities.
In the future, teachers and LCI Chairpersons will be held individually accountable if more cases of ineligible students are detected in the district quota scheme.
One parent, when contacted, admitted to living in Wakiso district but argued that his child should be considered since he lives with his brother in Luwero town council. Local authorities, however, disputed this claim after failing to confirm it.
Another beneficiary admitted on the phone that he lived in Hoima but pursued his studies in Luwero and requested to be considered for the offer.
However, some beneficiaries, including Deborah Kisakye Najjibwa and Sylvia Kasuunu, whose parents were confirmed to reside in Luwero town, welcomed the offer, saying it would relieve them of the financial burden of university fees.
Najjibwa has been admitted to Makerere University to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Education, and Kasuunu will pursue a Bachelor of Journalism and Communication at the same university. Najjibwa previously studied on a bursary at Everest College, where she scored 16 points in UACE.
Sarah Namubiru, a resident of Kasana PIIDA zone in Luwero town, was excited to learn that her granddaughter had been selected for the scheme.
Ms. Namubiru said it was a great move by the district to verify the selected beneficiaries to ensure the opportunity went to deserving residents.
The approved students are now waiting to pick up their admission letters from Makerere, Lira, and Kyambogo universities, where they were selected under the district quota scheme.
