The competition received hundreds of submissions of which 3 Ugandans emerged as winners that were awarded at a breakfast event held at the Unicaf University Project in Naguru recently.
The first prize winner, Lynn Gloria Nyakake, 25, was awarded a full scholarship for a Master’s degree of her choice with Unicaf University through online delivery, plus $300 in cash. Nyakake holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and has served as a Community Nutrition Officer with a non-government organisation.
Accepting her prize, she said: ‘I’m very thankful for the gift of this scholarship, which provides us all with a platform to learn, grow, and inspire. E-learning, like most technological advancements, represents a future in which the educational aspirations of the common person can become a reality. Unicaf has set the pace in this endeavour and it is up to us to carry this legacy forward’.
Kansiime Mukama Taremwa, 26, took second place, receiving an 80% scholarship for a Master’s degree of his choice with Unicaf University through online delivery, plus $200 in cash. He has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB Honours) and has served at the Law Development Centre.
Speaking at the ceremony, Taremwa said: ‘It is an immense honour for me to share with you this milestone in my life. Online education is not only the future of education, it is the present reality… Unicaf University Project has positioned itself to be a leader in the quest for affordable higher education and it is a privilege for me to be associated with them at such a time when the pendulum of history is swinging towards the indispensability of online teaching to continue furthering the education of millions of people around the world’.
Lokoro Marino, 30, in third place, received a 75% scholarship for a Master’s degree of his choice with the University through online delivery, plus a free tablet. Lokoro has a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and is interested in scientific research.
Powered by dfcu: How a Bank Overdraft, Grit, and Vision Lifted Dr. Richard Wemesa onto Uganda’s Best Farmers ListHe said: ‘I know what it means to be desperate about further education. Therefore, I thank Unicaf for giving me this golden opportunity at the right time, when I need it the most. Of all the awards that I have ever won, this is the greatest. Traditional modes of learning have many limitations in times of war and displacement, natural disasters, harsh economic conditions, rising unemployment or measures imposed to contain the pandemic. These have forced many students to interrupt or even give up altogether higher education studies. The only remedy to all of these problems is high quality online education, which is easily accessible, very affordable and flexible enough to fit around work and family commitments.’
While officiating the ceremony, the Pro Vice Chancellor of the Unicaf University project in Uganda, Dr. Fredrick Ntale Kisekka, urged the government to partner with private institutions like Unicaf to run pilot e-learning projects and develop sustainable solutions that will be adopted long after the COVID 19 pandemic.
“Learning virtually is taking root globally but still looks alien locally because our education system has been modeled to receive learning in a designated space… With technical advancement, online learning will become mandatory. What Unicaf University Project is offering government is for it to learn from the project’s available platform considering its current service and accreditation to global universities.’
He further noted that the high cost of internet, unreliable network, and affordability of technology across the country still pose a challenge to e-learning thus affecting the ability of Ugandan students to compete favorably on the global scene.
Unicaf is the exclusive global online delivery partner of the University of Suffolk (UK), Liverpool John Moores University (UK), the University of East London (UK), the University of California, Riverside Extension (USA) and Unicaf University (Africa).