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Kenneth Agaba Amponda UCU’s new Guild President

UCU’s 2020-2021 guild president elected in ‘new normal’

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Kenneth Agaba Amponda UCU’s new Guild President
Kenneth Agaba Amponda UCU’s new Guild President

(The election for the 2020-2021 top Student Guild president at the Uganda Christian University Mukono (main) campus occurred virtually in November. Campaigns were conducted through social media. Of 8,086 possible voters, 1,959 students cast ballots using their phones and computers. This is an interview with the new guild president, Agaba Kenneth Amponda, age 24, and studying in the Faculty of Law.)

By Winnie Laker

What is your family background?
I am a Mukiga from Kabaale district (Western Uganda), born and raised from the Ihanga trading center under Bubaale sub-county. I am the second born in a family of seven children, and my parents are Jackson Bitama and  Jackline Akankwasa Kibingo.

What is your educational background?
I attended my primary level in Kabaale Universal Nursery and Primary School. I then joined Mbarara High School for three years and completed my Ordinary-level from Standard High Zana. I later went to Gombe secondary School for my Advanced level.  Currently, I am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in law at Uganda Christian University (UCU).

Kenneth Amponda, the current Guild President, with Timothy Kadaga, the former Guild President
Kenneth Amponda, the current Guild President, with Timothy Kadaga, the former Guild President

Apart from your current position as guild president, what other leadership roles have you played?
My leadership list is quite long, but allow me to brief you on a few of them. In my primary six, I was elected sports prefect, and this was a stepping stone to my servanthood. I then became a class coordinator in Mbarara High School, the chairperson of school council in Gombe Secondary School, a residential assistant for two years in UCU, and I am the treasurer of Kigezi Community fellowship (a students’ fellowship group in UCU).

What has been your inspiration in serving as a leader?
First and foremost, I am proud to say the holy word of God has been my inspiration from day one. And although I did not mention it earlier, I have always served in church up until now, being a member of Mustard Seed Choir. It is because of this acquaintance with the Bible that I learnt how to handle and solve different kinds of problems within my environment, and in the end I realized that many have appreciated my decisions making role.

What nudged you to be guild president?
Of course I knew my capabilities, but that alone couldn’t push me to stand as a University’s guild. During my services as a residential assistant, I was consistent in addressing the students’ problems, especially during consultation meetings with the administration. I always made sure most of the complaints were addressed to suit my brothers in the halls of residence, and it is these very students that pushed me to this position as their guild president today. Because they loved how I served in a lower position, they saw it best if the entire student’s body gained from my leadership.

How did you campaign within the campus COVID-19 guidelines?
I put everyone’s health first. I have a foundation called AMPONDA CARES, which I opened up way back, but activated it during the lockdown in March. Ever since its activation, it has been distributing food, masks, and some financial help where necessary to especially students. So when it came to campaigns, both the foundation and my campaign team, decided to distribute over 2,000 masks to the student’s fraternity. And unlike my opponent who had already released his posters, I decided to invest my finances in the manufacturing of masks, which I distributed (carefully and safely) to quite a good number of students.

How do you see your role in the pandemic?
Surely, my government has a very big role to play, but allow me to first of all to express appreciation to the University and the outgoing government for introducing e-learning such that no one (especially non finalists) was left behind. Today, we can see the effort these people have put in due to the unprecedented pandemic. We are all studying which is a good thing for everyone. My government will therefore, endeavor to work with mostly the grassroot leaders that is, the residential assistants, class coordinators and members of parliament, who can best explain the issues to be addressed in relationship to students. We will work hand in hand with the administration and I can promise you that, all our services will be under the goal of building a bridge to the new normal.

Where do you see yourself after your term is finalized in 2021?
I will humbly respond to you that I did not see myself as a guild president in the first place. Rather, I have always viewed myself in the image of a leader. It is those around me that boosted my popularity to the rest of the student’s fraternity, who later positioned me where I am now. So being a strong Christian believer, I will not predetermine my future. Only God will give me what I deserve after all this.

Away from leadership, are you in a relationship?
No, I am neither in a relationship nor am I searching at the moment. All I want is to serve my brothers and sisters at UCU as best as I can.

Any last words you would like to say?
I want to thank all the students that entrusted me with their votes. All I can say is that “Amponda will serve you with all his strength and might,” to the end that a bridge to the new normal is built.

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For more of these stories and experiences by and about Uganda Christian University (UCU) students and graduates, visit https://www.ugandapartners.org. If you would like to support UCU, contact Mark Bartels, Executive Director, UCU Partners, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org or go to https://www.ugandapartners.org/donate/

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Members of the UCU student admissions team, including the author of this story (third from left, front row), pose for a photo taken before the COVID-19 restrictions.

UCU admissions perspective: From in-person hustle and bustle to on-line service

COVID-19, News, , , , , , ,


Members of the UCU student admissions team, including the author of this story (third from left, front row), pose for a photo taken before the COVID-19 restrictions.
Members of the UCU student admissions team, including the author of this story (third from left, front row), pose for a photo taken before the COVID-19 restrictions.

By Eleanor Ithungu

According to the United Nations, the COVID-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption of education systems in history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries and all continents. These data, which are part of an August 2020 policy brief, include that 94 percent of the world’s student population has been effected because of institution shutdowns. In low-income countries like Uganda, the impact is 99 percent.

As a Uganda Christian University (UCU) worker in the admissions office over the past five years, I am among those who have had a front-row seat to the enrollment impact. The Mukono campus’ normally noisy reception area near a small office I share with one other staff is silent.

It’s been this way since March 20 when Yoweri Museveni, the president of the republic Uganda, ordered the closure of schools as one step to contain the coronavirus outbreak. At the time, we presumed that the closure would take only 32 days, and we would return to our normal schedules. Such was not the case as roughly one month turned into six.

The majority of universities in Uganda, including UCU, rely on aggressive outreach activities, sending institutional representatives out into communities, secondary schools and literally “scavenging” for students to join institutions. This year, that couldn’t happen because of the country’s lockdown with social distancing measures in place.

Around February, the peak season for the admissions section starts following the release of Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) results. In normal years, this is a season of many inquiries by phone and in person with applicants – mostly soon-to-be secondary school graduates – walking in and out of the academics building where admissions is housed.

UCU’s e-learning platform plays a major role in getting the university back on it’s feet.
UCU’s e-learning platform plays a major role in getting the university back on it’s feet.

While the majority of Uganda’s universities have had online platforms that prospective students would utilize to submit applications for admission, most of the institutions would still get the bulk of their students through manual processes whereby students pick up application forms, fill them out, and return them.

This year, our intake season never had a chance to peak. We barely started the 2020-21 year application and admission processes when the government closed institutions, including UCU. The excitement of prospective students walking the campus to see the library, classrooms, housing and exercise track didn’t exist. There were no academic counselors around to help students make decisions based on their scores and career aspirations.

For the past six months, not only were students not permitted on the campus, but they also could not travel to the university. When our travel restrictions were eased, transportation costs accelerated to further negatively impact the pockets of already financially strapped people, and curfews remained in place.

The closure of the schools disrupted UCU’s planned schedules, required staff reductions and caused us to think differently about how to serve current and future students. The admissions section where I work needed to work harder to find a way of reaching out and serving potential applicants. Luckily, the University Management Information System was ready to be used for online applications. Phone calls involved directing interested youth to the website to look at program offerings and download forms.

Another shift from face-to-face to the virtual world has been with pre-entry interviews for admission into the Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Bachelor of Dental Surgery programs. This time round, we held the interviews virtually instead of in person. We held Zoom interviews and written assessments on our e-learning platform for over 800 applicants for the Bachelor of Laws program. This was successful. We also relied on technology to admit students in different programs like Bachelor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration.

With adjustments to online learning, our education system has been able to focus on what is working well rather than what is not working at all.  Those of us left on campus work diligently with appreciation for reduced pay as we are loyal to the unique education of a Christian-based higher education institution like UCU.

Together, we pray for our students who didn’t finish exams before the government’s education suspension order in March, and that the on-line examinations go well.  We pray for our colleagues who are not working and are in need of food in their cupboards. While missing the embrace and community of believers and learners in person, we give thanks to God that our on-line learning was in place to save students travel time and money that might have been spent for campus housing and enables students to learn and obtain job skills.

UCU may look different when it bounces back, which it will.  But what won’t change is the faith-based focus.  To God be the glory.

(Eleanor Ithungu is a 2015 graduate of UCU with a bachelor’s degree in Business Computing. While working at UCU, she is pursuing post-graduate studies in Information Technology.)

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To support UCU, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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UCU moves ahead with e-learning as Uganda gives partial lift to education lockdown

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The UCU Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. John Kitayimbwa; Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Mr. David Mugawe; University Council Chairman Prof. Alfred Olwa; and Vice-Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi pose after a recent meeting. (Photo by Sam Tatambuka)

By John Semakula
The government of Uganda has lifted its six-month lockdown on education, allowing schools to reopen on October 15 for candidate classes and for finalists in institutions of higher learning.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni announced the move on Sunday evening (September 20) in his address to the nation about the state of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

By Sunday, Ugandans infected with the coronavirus were 6,827 and only 63 fatalities.
President Museveni noted in his address that the decision to reopen academic institutions that have been closed since March 20 was meant to reduce the possibility of clogging in the education system.

“If we don’t allow the 2020 batch of finalists to move on, what will happen to the batch of 2021?” the President asked, observing that the smaller number of finalists will make it easier to observe social distancing while at school. The figures presented by President Museveni showed that of Uganda’s 15 million learners, there are 1.2 million finalists.

President Museveni also declared the reopening of the International Airport and land borders, which could allow international students to return and complete their studies.
These students, as with all foreigners coming to Uganda, must test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours before their arrival. The government also lifted the lockdown in border districts across the country to allow students to travel back to their schools.

The lifting of the lockdown on academic institutions came at the time when Uganda Christian University (UCU) was finalizing its plans to roll out the eLearning training for staff and online distance learning for students.

Earlier this month, UCU conducted online pre-entry exams for law students. UCU Vice-Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi noted that this virtual examination was a landmark achievement for the University that wants to strive to be “paperless” and become a leader in distance learning in the country. Mushengyezi and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. John Kitayimbwa have said the university will roll out online distance learning on October 15, regardless of government lifting of education restrictions.

On the issue of the staff contracts, which were suspended in June, the deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration, David Mugawe, has said the affected staff will be reinstated on the payroll as soon as the lectures start in October.

In Uganda, private academic institutions mainly rely on students’ tuition fees for their operations. But Assoc. Prof. Mushengyezi has vowed to work with the private sector to grow the University’s revenue.

In May, UCU released the teaching timetable for the final year students who were supposed to be in sessions during the Trinity Semester (May-August), but withheld it after government extended the lockdown on academic institutions. Following the Sept. 20 President announcement, the University must decide if it will revise the same timetable or release a new one.
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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org

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UCU staff members discuss on-line learning enhancements in the Mukono campus eLearning Centre.

UCU set to reopen for online eLearning on Sept 15

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UCU staff members discuss on-line learning enhancements in the Mukono campus eLearning Centre.
UCU staff members discuss on-line learning enhancements in the Mukono campus eLearning Centre.

(NOTE: At the time this was written, the Ugandan government agreed to allow medical school students only to return to in-person education. There were unconfirmed rumors that physical delivery could be allowed for all schools by the end of September. If permitted, this could impact the UCU plan as outlined in this story.)

By John Semakula

Uganda Christian University (UCU) students, who missed their end of Easter Semester (January-May) examinations because of the country’s COVID-19 lockdown, have cause to smile. According to the office of the UCU Vice Chancellor, the students can take the Easter Semester examinations from September 15 to October 15, 2020.

“These will be done as take-home examinations, as it is the practice in universities all over the world,” read a statement from the VCs office dated September 4, adding, “Teaching for the Trinity (normally starting in May) and Advent (normally starting in September) semesters will commence on October 15.”

Students enrolled with UCU for the first semester of this calendar year missed their examinations when all the academic institutions in the country were closed on March 20 as part of a government-imposed, country lockdown to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. These students were mostly completed with their studies except for their final semester examinations. At that time, and despite UCU’s readiness to conduct on-line learning and administer take-home exams, the University’s efforts were denied by President Yoweri Museveni on grounds that the process would discriminate against individuals from poor families.

In early September, UCU had that approval, including from the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) that conducted an early August inspection. According to a letter dated August 26 and signed by the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Dr. John Senyonyi, after assessing UCU’s capacity to undertake online distance eLearning, the NCHE gave the University a green light to resume teaching virtually.

NCHE also cleared the University’s School of Medicine and the newly named School of Dentistry to continue operations after an inspection by the regulatory body conducted on August 10. Early this year, the NCHE had raised some concerns about the standards of most medical schools in the country, including the medical schools at UCU and Makerere University, and asked the institutions to improve or be denied a chance to offer the courses.

In a letter dated August 28, NCHE’s Executive Director, Prof. Mary J.N. Okwakol, noted that UCU’s medical and dental programs met the requirements for the training of medical doctors and dental surgeons within the East African Community (EAC) as set out in the guidelines.

“Upon qualifications, therefore, the graduates shall be eligible for reciprocal recognition within the EAC partner states,” she wrote. “The University may admit students to the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Dentistry programmes, ensuring adherence to the recommended number of students for each programme.”

Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi, UCU’s new vice chancellor, speaks at a press conference.
Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi, UCU’s new vice chancellor, speaks at a press conference.

In his August 26 letter to UCU staff, Dr. Senyonyi commended those who worked hard to ensure that both assessments were successful. He said he was sincerely indebted to them.

The University has since advertised vacancies for first year students who would wish to take those science courses advising them to apply online for the courses.

The new Vice-Chancellor, Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, also confirmed NCHE’s clearance for UCU to continue teaching in a letter to staff dated September 4. He also revealed that the University Senate had as a result of the clearance by NCHE met on September 2 and passed several resolutions to pave way for the University to reopen for online distance eLearning.

 

Key among the resolutions, which Senate passed, was that the University would hold a virtual graduation – a first for UCU – for those students who will have finished their studies. The ceremony is scheduled for December 18, 2020.

Also important to note is that students who are supposed to be in session for both the Trinity (May-August) and Advent (September- December) semesters will first complete the Trinity Semester. To have access to inexpensive Internet services for online learning and while tuition costs are in discussion, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs, Dr. John Kitayimbwa, advised students to buy MTN cell phone sim cards to access Internet hotspots.

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To support UCU, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also visit us on Facebook and Instagram.