Education ministry to launch bursary scheme for 600 learners in 13 districts of Albertine region

By George Mangula

The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) will on November 15, 2018 at the Booma grounds in Hoima, launch a Bursary Scheme targeting 600 beneficiaries from the Albertine Region, according to the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alex Kakooza.

President Yoweri Museveni is expected to officiate at the launch of the Bursary scheme. The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Katahaa Museveni will be present at the launch.

The above Bursary scheme focuses on providing skills to learners from the districts of Nebbi, Nwoya, Buliisa, Masindi, Kiryandongo, Hoima, Kibaale, Bunyangabu, Kakumiro, Kagadi, Kyenjojo, Kabarole, and Ntoroko to support Uganda’s oil and gas industry.

According to Kakooza, The aim of the launch is to officially flag-off the implementation of the Bursary Scheme in the Albertine Region by Museveni. “Specifically, the launch will serve to: guarantee the populace of the Albertine region of government support towards skilling the youth in the region; and enhance publicity and national exposure of the Bursary Scheme,” PS Kakooza said in Monday’s press release.

Government Ministers from the Albertine Region, Members of Parliament, Religious and cultural leaders, Resident District Commissioners, District Chairpersons, Chief Administrative Officers, District Education Officers, Local Council 1 Chairpersons and members of the public will also be in attendance.

The Bursary Scheme is being implemented through the Albertine Region Sustainable Development Project (ARSDP), a five year US$ 145mln multi-sectoral project (US$ 27mln under MoES) formulated by the Government of Uganda in 2014 and funded by the World Bank. The Development Objective of the ARSDP is to improve regional and local access to infrastructure, markets, services and skills development in the Albertine region.

ARSDP is implemented by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (MoLHUD), the Uganda National Road Authority (UNRA), and MoES.

Through ARSDP Project, the Ministry of Education and Sports will also establish a Centre of Excellence for Agro-processing in Nwoya District and turn Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba (UPIK) and Uganda Technical College Kichwamba into Centres of Excellence for Oil and Gas Trades and Oil and Gas Construction Trades respectively.

The two Institutes have been partnered with renowned International Training Institutions namely: IFP France and Coventry University respectively. The international partners are working closely with these institutions to adapt their curricular to international standards, upgrade their training facilities, train instructors and improve their governance systems among others.

Museveni will also officially launch the twenty year Workforce Skills Development Strategy and Plan (WSDSP) for the oil and gas sub-sector which is in place to maximise the quantity and quality of employment opportunities for Ugandans in Oil & Gas and related sectors. The strategy spells out the activities required to close the gap between skills demand and supply in Oil & Gas and related sectors, detailing who is responsible for implementation and the sources of funding for each activity