Museveni to Launch Govt Bursary Program Targeting 600 Learners in Albertine Region

President Yoweri Museveni is set to launch a bursary scheme through the Ministry of Education that seeks to support learners in thirteen districts that lie within the Albertine region in Western Uganda.

The launch is scheduled to take place tomorrow, Thursday November 15 at Booma Grounds in Hoima district.

The bursary scheme is fully funded by the government of Uganda, but will be implemented under the Albertine Region Sustainable Development Project which is supported by the World Bank.

According to a brief by the Ministry of Education and Sports and World Bank, the bursary intends to support approximately 600 learners from the 13 districts. The trainees will undergo skills training from accredited public and private training institutions in the country.

Government together with its implementing partners believe that by improving the skills of the learners, this will increase the employability particularly for the Oil and Gas industry as well as the broader economy.

Eligible candidates must be Ugandan citizens and residents within the districts of; Nebbi, Buliisa, Masindi, Kiryandongo, Hoima, Kibaale, Bunyangabu, Kakumiro, Kagadi, Kyenjonjo, Kabarole and Ntoroko for the past five years.

“The bursary covers costs as will be determined in the selected training institution and accommodation if required,” the brief read in part.

Applicants will also be required to possess a minimum education qualification of either O’Level or a Craft 1 and Craft 2 technical certificate or Uganda Vocational Qualification Framework (UVQF) level. Eligible candidates for the bursary must not have been a recipient of any other previous scholarship. Women stand an advantage.

The brief obtained by SoftPower News outlines training courses such as construction, carpentry, scaffolding, painting, plumbing, engineering, hospitality, driving (goods vehicle) and safety training, as disciplines where focus will be placed.

Duration for the training ranges between two months to 6 months.

The training providers “will be selected through a competitive process and these providers will be both private and public”.

Criteria for selection of these providers will base on; availability of linkages such as placement programs, number of additional trainees the institute can enroll, availability of required infrastructure and facilities, whether relevant programs are internationally recognized.

Those interested in applying for the bursary will pick application forms at no fee from the district education offices in the mentioned districts between November 19 this year and January 4 2019. The filled application forms must be returned to the same offices not later than January 11 2019.