24 refugee students awarded scholarships

ARUA. BRAC Uganda, an international development organisation, has offered scholarships to South Sudanese refugees and students in host communities to enrol for secondary education.
Officials from BRAC Uganda say the scholarships are aimed at helping bright but needy students who cannot afford school fees to proceed to secondary schools.

Twenty four refugee students and 13 others from the host communities have been selected to benefit from the scholarship scheme.
The BRAC Uganda country director, Ms Hasina Akhter, on Monday said: “We want to offer hope and good future for the needy students because they are financially handicapped. We ask the students to focus more, perform well and remain in school.”
Alfred Taban, one of the beneficiaries who escaped from the South Sudan insurgence in 2017 while in Senior Three, said he had lost hope of proceeding with his secondary education.

He joined Imvepi Secondary School in Senior Four, but had challenges of paying school fees because his parents are poor.
Taban revealed that sometimes his parents would sell the food rations given to them to pay his school fees.
“When my father was shot dead in South Sudan, I lost hope that I would study. I had difficulties in paying school fees and getting scholastic materials. The scholarship is an opportunity for me to study up to tertiary level,” he said.

Taban, who got second grade in last year’s Senior Four exams, said he would like to pursue Biology, Agriculture and Geography in A-Level.
Susan Gween, 19, who also received the scholarship said her worries about school fees are over.
“My parents had difficulties in providing scholastic materials and paying school fees. But I kept on praying that I should pass in Senior Four. And now at least I have hope that I will join and compete with other students,” she said.

Caution
The Arua District LC5 chairperson, Mr Sam Nyakua, cautioned the students to desist from engaging in bad behaviour that will derail their progress in schools.
“Do not allow yourselves to be duped by other peers and become chairman for malwa (local drink) or mairungi (groups). Maintain this scholarship and do not look at your status as being a refugee. Education does not discriminate anyone, so work hard,” he warned.
Hundreds of refugee students living in Imvepi and Rhino camp settlements have been integrated in the secondary schools and some have in the past performed well but have been financially handicapped to proceed with their studies.

The Arua refugee desk officer in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Solomon Osakan, while cautioning students said: “Use this scholarship as an opening point to your future. Encourage other students who remained in the camps to work hard and excel. Avoid peer group influence in schools but remain focused on your education because when you return, you are in a better position to become a leader.”
BRAC will be channelling the school fees to the bank accounts of the schools.
They offered scholastic materials, mattresses, uniforms, pocket money, among others, as part of the scholarship scheme.

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