KAMPALA -- Kampala and Wakiso districts have, like on the government scheme, continued to dominate Makerere University’s private admission list.

According to the list released on Monday, of the 18, 599 students admitted to the country’s oldest institution, 3,173 are from the city followed by the neighbouring district Wakiso with 2, 162 slots. More male students (9, 719) have been admitted compared to their female counterparts (8, 880). A total of 16, 000 students were admitted on private last year.

The other districts among the top ten to send the highest number of students to the 89-year-old institution, but with a distant gap include, Mukono (584), Mbarara (580), Masaka (537), Jinja (461), Kabale (423), Bushenyi (404) and Ntungamo (370) respectively.

Five districts had each less than ten students admitted to Makerere; Nakapiripirit (9), Buvuma (8), Kotido (7), Amudat (3) and Kaabong (2).

Schools from the central took the lions share to benefit from the government’s sponsorship of 2011/12 academic year with St Mary’s Kitende (218) leading followed by Uganda Martyrs, Namugongo (92), Mengo SS(87) , Kings College Buddo (75), Nabisunsa Girls’(73), Gombe SS (68), Masaka SS (66), Kawempe Muslim (63), St Mary’s Kisubu (61), and Naalya (58).

Like last academic year, Lubiri SS has for another round led the admission list with 381 slots compared to last year’s 213. Namirembe Hillside (319) took the second position replacing St Mary’s SS Kitende, which, although it improved on the number of students it is sending from 185 to 294, now occupies the third position.

Bushenyi’s Valley College was the only upcountry school among the top 20 schools. The students are expected to report on August 13. Every year, the government sponsors 4, 000 students of which Makerere takes 2, 000 and the rest are shared among the other four public universities; Kyambogo, Busitema, Gulu and Mbarara.

At least 61,820 candidates qualified with two principal passes in last year’s Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education for places in tertiary institutions. 

However, there has been criticism that the government’s national cake is enjoyed by the few “able people” from urban centres leaving the unprivileged with less access to higher education. But the institution’s Vice Chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba is optimistic that once the government’s loan scheme is complete it will enable equal distribution of the national resources.

Meanwhile, Prof. Baryamureeba said the university will continue to work with their affiliate school, Makerere University Business School as it transforms to an independent university that will now award its own degrees under the new name Metropolitan Uganda Business School (MUBS).

“Makerere University is going to ensure a smooth transition. MUBS will still have the opportunity to have its programmes affiliated to Makerere University for as long as the curricula are acceptable to Makerere University senate and council,” Prof Baryamureeba said yesterday.

Source: Daily Monitor