BRAC scholarships to end next year
Victoria Kisarale, the head teacher of Gayaza High School, gives a speech on how the MasterCard Foundation scholarship programme has been of help to students in her school during the school leadership programme in Kampala last week. BRAC announced that after eight years, the programme was coming to an end next year. Photo by Hephzibar Bukasu
What you need to know:
- Victoria Kisarale, the head teacher of Gayaza High School, expressed her worry saying as stakeholders in the programme, they had seen lives change and are worried about what will happen after 2020.
After eight years of changing lives of needy students through scholarships, MasterCard in partnership with BRAC Uganda scholarships will end next year. The scholarships would provide financial, social, and academic support to the beneficiaries throughout their education.
The head teachers that attended the school leadership forum at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala last week are worried about the closure of the project and what it means for the students that were benefitting.
“Last year, the top two performers at Uganda Certificate of Education with Aggregate 8 at our school were students sponsored by Brac,” Simon Peter Gwok, the head teacher Makerere High School, Migadde, said.
Similarly, Victoria Kisarale, the head teacher of Gayaza High School, expressed her worry saying as stakeholders in the programme, they had seen lives change and are worried about what will happen after 2020.
“I propose that Brac teaches the alumni the skills of saving and investment. If emphasised, these skills will help them out and avoid a rude awakening such as the one I got 25 years ago when I lost my husband,” she said.
Alice Kaddu Gwaliwango, the deputy head teacher of King’s College Budo, said we should look at issues of sustainability.
“We should have another group of investors and well-wishers that can be backed by the government so that we can help more students.”
“The programme is ending in 2020 and once the benefitting students complete Senior Six, we shall support them to transition indirectly by giving them information on available government opportunities such as degrees, diplomas, vocational and any other scholarship opportunities available. Currently, the programme has only Senior Five and Senior Six students on scholarship,” Grace Senoga, BRAC Uganda spokesperson, said.
