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Uganda Postsecondary Education
Established in 1922, Makerere University in Kampala was
the
first college in East Africa. Its primary aim was to train
people
for government employment, but by the 1980s, it had
expanded to
include colleges of liberal arts and medicine serving more
than
5,000 students from Uganda and other African countries. In
1986
the College of Commerce separated from Makerere to become
the
National College of Business Studies, and at the same
time, the
National Teachers' College became a separate Institute of
Teachers' Education. In 1980 these institutions enrolled
5,750
postsecondary students, roughly 23 percent of whom were
women. By
1989 enrollments totaled an estimated 8,900 students.
The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
financed the
opening of the Islamic University at Mbale in southern
Uganda in
1988. This campus provides Islamic educational services
primarily
to English-speaking students from African nations. In late
1989,
a second national university campus opened in Mbarara. Its
curriculum is designed to serve Uganda's rural development
needs.
Development plans for higher education rely largely on
international and private donors. In 1989 Makerere
University
received US$50 million in pledged support from its
graduates as
part of a US$150-million renovation plan.
In the late 1980s, many other educational opportunities
were
available. The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare
operated four
vocational training centers, providing apprenticeships and
classes to upgrade technical skills. The Ministry of
Agriculture,
Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries conducted training courses
at
eighteen district farm institutions. Ministry of Community
Development personnel also staffed fifteen rural training
centers. Other government ministries offered in-service
training
in agriculture, health, community development,
cooperatives,
commerce, industry, and public services to satisfy
technical
labor requirements of these agencies. In addition, the
Young
Women's Christian Association (YWCA) offered a variety of
training courses for women.
Data as of December 1990
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