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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje has called upon all Muslims and well-wishers to join the Muslim leadership to develop the Old Kampala based Islamic Call University College.
In his speech delivered by the deputy Mufti Sheikh Abdallah Semmambo during the second graduation ceremony of the Islamic Call University College, Sheikh Mubaje said it is local support, both financial and spiritual that has seen the University grow and embrace students from all walks of life including the underprivileged who are awarded scholarships to be able to attain an education.
The former Libyan leader, the late Muammar Gadhafi mooted the idea to open the University with plans of affiliating it with the Islamic Call College in Tripoli, Libya. This was after he financed the construction of the Gadhafi National Mosque and Uganda Muslim Supreme Council-UMSC headquarters at Old Kampala.
Gadhafi died before he could set up the University. Delivering the speech, Sheikh Semmambo said that the administration of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council-UMSC under the leadership of Sheikh Mubaje decided to execute the idea despite the limited resources available. He said that they have earmarked land for the project and called for support to execute it fully.
He said the University currently hosted at the UMSC headquarters admits students in different courses in the field of Humanities, Arabic language and Sharia, business studies and Information Technology.
Speaking at the same ceremony, Eng. Badru Kiggundu, the chairperson of the Board of the University, congratulated the University administration for the efforts they have put in to ensure that their students study despite the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He says the University, with over 800 students has survived the challenges posed by COVID-19 and reported that they integrated online learning into their teaching to deal with the COVID-19 induced challenges like the lockdown.
He however appealed to the government to improve internet connectivity, which he said continues to challenge them and also called for support to develop the computer laboratory to enhance e-learning programs.
Eng. Kiggundu said that the University is putting a lot of focus on Information and Communication Technologies and vocational education to equip students with both intellectual and hands-on skills that not only make them more employable but job creators.
The State Minister for Education and Sports, Denis Hamson Obua who represented the Speaker of Parliament,t Anita Among, said that education is a shared responsibility and an investment that parents make to their children.
He urged the graduates to have a good attitude towards work as they now prepare to join the field of work. In the message he delivered on behalf of the speaker, Obua reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting education in this country and thanked Muslims for pioneering the establishment of faith-based private universities in Uganda.
He recognised Muslim’s efforts in the development of education in Uganda and committed government support to education at different levels.
Over 200 students graduated with certificates, diplomas and degrees in the fields of business, Information and Communication Technology, Arabic language and Sharia, and early childhood education among others.
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