Brac Uganda phases out scholarship program

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Brac Uganda has ended its scholarship program in Uganda which has supported up to 5,445 learners to secondary school. In 2013, Brac Uganda partnered with MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program and rolled out the national-level scholarship program to provide scholarships to economically disadvantaged students.

The program started with 613 beneficiaries from 49 districts. The number of scholarships went on increasing gradually depending on a given year’s intake. Josephine Nakiyingi, the communications officer Brac Uganda scholarship program says that their target was to support 5,000 students in Uganda to complete their secondary education within a period of eight years.

She says that they have been able to achieve their target by enabling 5,445 students to complete their secondary education within the eight year’s period with its last cohort of 2020.

She says that their pioneer beneficiaries completed their studies, graduated and are in gainful employment. Nakiyingi says that the program has been enrolling students joining the Ordinary and Advanced levels of education.

Francis Tabu, the Programs Manager Brac Uganda says that as an organization, they are satisfied that they have achieved their goal of enabling young learners in Uganda to complete their secondary education to enhance their personal and economic empowerment.

He says that the program has also provided students with leadership and development skills through annual leadership congresses and given them experience in community service.

Tabu however regrets that even with government efforts at providing universal secondary education, there are many learners missing out on quality education. He says that as an organization, they are still willing to support the many disadvantaged bright students that are yearning to have quality education but they are short of funding.

He says that the scholarship program cost US$ 46.7 Million and enabled 85% of their beneficiaries to join university, others joined Technical and Vocational Training Institutions while about 1% dropped off along the way.

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