President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on leaders across the country to enforce free education in government schools and focus on eradicating household poverty to ensure children from poor families can access and benefit from higher education.
The President made the remarks while presiding over the groundbreaking ceremony for Bunyoro University in Kikuube District.
The President emphasized that without free and accessible primary and secondary education, many children from poor families risk being left behind in Uganda’s push for higher education.
“Insist on free education for children in government schools and implement it. The rich can take their children to private schools, but those from poor families should have no excuse for dropping out,” President Museveni said.
He noted that despite the government’s investment in higher education, poverty at the household level remains a key barrier to access.
“If families are still poor, children will drop out of school. If they drop out, who will attend this university? A university is not a marketplace you must go through the education system to qualify,” he cautioned.
The President stressed that free Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) must be fully implemented to ensure local children can benefit from institutions like Bunyoro University.
Highlighting the role of economic empowerment, President Museveni also called for efforts to improve household incomes to support children’s education.
“Even where free education has been implemented, only a limited number of high-performing students receive government sponsorship. The rest rely on family support, which means we must focus on developing homesteads economically,” he said.
First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, praised stakeholders for their commitment to realizing the dream of a public university in the Bunyoro region. She acknowledged the donation of 100 acres of land by Canon Dr. Henry Wamani and his family, which will host the university’s main campus.
“The establishment of a public university in the Bunyoro region is a testament to President Museveni’s vision of having a public university in each zone of Uganda,” she said, adding that the government has so far invested Shs.6.4 billion in the university’s preliminary setup, including the development of 18 science-based academic programs approved by the National Council for Higher Education.
The project has received an additional Shs.15 billion this financial year for the construction of the university’s initial infrastructure. The First Lady urged the university’s task force, led by Professor Samuel Kyamanywa, to expedite the procurement process and begin construction promptly.
Professor Kyamanywa described Bunyoro University as a “game changer” for higher education in the region, promising to enhance educational access and regional development once operational.
President Museveni reaffirmed his government’s commitment to expanding access to education and reiterated that free education is a key pillar in fighting poverty and enabling all Ugandan children to thrive.
