MP Kabaasa Advocates for University Admissions Overhaul, Citing Rural Students' Success

Rubanda West Member of Parliament Bruce Kabaasa Baraba has voiced a strong call for a comprehensive review of Uganda’s public university admissions system. He contends that the current framework unfairly disadvantages students from rural schools, despite their proven academic capabilities.

Speaking in Parliament, Kabaasa highlighted that students admitted through the district quota system, which was intended to offer opportunities to learners from disadvantaged areas, often outperform those admitted through the national merit scheme, even when entering with lower grades. He stated that evidence suggests this trend has persisted since the district quota’s introduction in 2005.

The legislator argues that relying solely on high entry grades overlooks the challenges faced by students in rural areas, such as inadequate resources and less conducive learning environments. He pointed to the success of pre-entry examinations for rural learners as proof that academic potential is not solely determined by prior schooling conditions.

However, Kabaasa expressed concern that the existing district quota system is not adequately channeling rural students into critical science-related fields, which are vital for Uganda’s economic development. He noted that approximately 90% of students admitted via the district quota are enrolled in humanities courses.

To rectify this, Kabaasa has proposed a policy amendment to reserve 50% of district quota slots for science courses, with the remaining 50% allocated to humanities. Furthermore, he suggested a reversal of the government sponsorship allocation, advocating for 75% of sponsored places to be distributed through the district quota system and 25% via national merit. He reiterated that these district quota slots should be evenly split between science and humanities programs.

This proposal initiates a crucial discussion on balancing academic merit with equitable access to higher education, particularly for students from underserved rural communities who face significant structural disadvantages.

Source: Nile Post