WHILE UGANDA GOVERNMENT FAILED TO IMPLEMENT THE EDUCATIONAL LOAN SCHEME FOR 10 YEARS, MADHVANI HAS PUT IN MILLIONS FOR BURSARIES

In 2001, Makerere University Private Students’ Parents’ Association (MUPRISPA) was born with the main objective as seeing to the welfare of privately sponsored students; and a specific objective among others as seeing to Government’s implementation of an Educational Loan Scheme.  In the same year, in his re-election Manifesto, President Museveni said, “My Government will establish an Educational Loan Scheme to increase access to higher education.”  Unfortunately, 10 years after, there is no operational Education Loan Scheme.  MUPRISPA had put in a lot of effort to see the scheme in place which led the Minister of Finance to incorporate a provision of shs 400 million for the Educational Loan Scheme in his 2002/03 National Budget, unfortunately, the funds disappeared under ‘studies to see the scheme in place!’

With all the frustration, we did not give up, the association went ahead to write, “A Comprehensive Feasible and Sustainable Educational Loan Scheme in Uganda, and also, “Identifying Clientele for the Educational Loan Scheme and loan recovery measures.  However, it is thumbs up for the Madhvani Foundation for the provision of Bursaries that have enabled hundreds of financially disadvantaged students to get higher education.

“Half  a Billion shillings was made available by the Madhvani Foundation for Ugandan students pursuing University Education in a Ugandan University in 2009/10 academic year.  In a statement the Chairman of the Scholarship Committee, Hon. Henry Kyemba said, “The figure Ushs 516 million) represented by far the largest amount ever released by the Foundation in its annual contribution to the education sector.  The money was to allow hundreds of gifted but financially challenged students to complete their University education.

In 2003 the Madhvani’s set up a University Education Trust with the principal objective of promotion of scientific and technical education for the betterment of the people of Uganda.  Since 2003, the Trust has educated over 540 University students and has provided scholarships worth over shs 1.3 billion.