Weighing brain drain and economic gains

Trinity Western University Canada, a premier Christian founded academic institution, in collaboration with Bishop Stuart University, has registered a first by opening opportunities for Uganda students to attain Canadian degrees and in turn be able to secure opportunities for employment in Canada. 

Could this be an avenue of creating brain drain for Uganda, a country with low levels of science and technology, among other parameters of development or could this be an opportunity for the mostly destined unemployed youths to land once-in a life time chance to access green pastures through gainful employment? 

The story goes that in July 2019 I was able to visit the Province of Vancouver in Canada as chancellor BSU with a purpose of seeking collaboration with a first world, first rate Christian based university. My host Micheal Musherure with his wife Getrude, my former student at Kibubura Girls S.S, mapped out for me the higher education landscape of Vancouver and we settled for about three universities including TWU Canada. We were given a royal welcome at TWU and agreed on possible collaboration. 

Fast forward, in the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic in August 2021, the UNCHE approved two academic programmes, Master of Education and Master of Arts in Leadership that are being taught virtually through the BSU Facilitated Academic Research Centre(FAR Centre). 

According to the VC of TWU, Covid has changed many things but the future hasn’t. The pandemic mind has resulted in new brand of academic programmes that can be studied virtually from anywhere in Uganda or even outside Uganda beaming from BSU. Dr Imbenzi George the TWU Global Education Coordinator, while addressing select group of Ugandan secondary headteachers, introduced a new path-way for high School students of embarking on a TWU degree and completing it with prospects of graduation with a Canadian university degree and acquisition of Canadian work permit.  

When asked by Ugandan journalists at BSU how possible it was for Uganda students to be employed in Canada, Dr.Imbenzi said, while the problem of Uganda is unemployment, the problem of Canada is underemployment. 

There are more jobs in Canada than people! Current population trends refer to a demographic winter in US and Europe, a reference to dwindling population especially among the young skilled, able bodied working class, as opposed to swelling aging mainly white Canadian population! 

According to a report on the world’s changing demographics, for a culture to maintain itself for 25 years, there must be a fertility rate of 2.11 children per family and that in history no culture has ever reversed a fertility rate of 1.9 since, after all, there is no economic model that can sustain such a culture. 

From such a perspective, it is only logical to appreciate the wisdom of Canada whose fertility rate is currently at 1.5, to offer opportunities for study, immigration and job prospects.  The rationale is that when Canadian universities offer opportunities for Ugandan students to qualify for Canadian degrees, it is in part felt need to address the gap in Canadian labour market. 

The Ugandan students once employed in Canada, are more assured of employment opportunities and much better salaries than in Uganda. The income these graduates would bring in, can boost the second ranked income source of foreign exchange to Uganda of “kyeeyo” cash.  The argument that an out-flow of Ugandan students abroad increases brain drain thus loss of critical skills and work force carries some water but only just !  

Why promote an educational system that will predestine majority youth to unemployment or low pay when there are opportunities for overseas degrees, employment and exciting income that will in turn be channeled to Uganda to assist in social economic development of our country?

Rt. Rev. Dr. Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa is the Bishop Ankole Diocese & Chancellor Bishop Stuart University. [email protected]