Kenyan Students Visit School of Law, Makerere for a Familiarization Tour
Students from Jalaram Academy, Nairobi Kenya, were hosted for a familiarization tour at the School of Law, Makerere University (SoL) on 23rd October 2024.
In his introduction and explanatory presentation to the visitors, Prof. Joe Oloka-Onyango of SoL noted that the school is the oldest and biggest in Uganda offering degree programmes in the field of law.
Joining the Law School?
Initially joining the law school necessitated one to have studied English Literature, Economics, and History. However, this has changed, one can study anything and become a lawyer. According to Prof. Oloka-Onyango, the law profession is based on two things: logic and persuasion, which skills can be developed from any field.
All applicants of Makerere University for the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree are required to sit for the pre-entry exam. The exam tests general knowledge, a bit of math, English, grammar and comprehension.
Law is a four-year course, that involves studying 20-25 subjects.
Three key things about the law course, when you study law: 1) the degree that you get is an LLB, 2) If you want to practice, one is required to go to the Law Development Centre (LDC) to study for a bar course. LDC is a practical school where lawyers learn the practicalities of presenting clients in courts of judicature like introduce documents in a trial and cross examining), and at this point you are awarded a diploma in law, 3) After LDC, one is then enrolled to the Bar, where you attain a practicing certificate. One can upgrade to masters for specialization.
To be a judge, the minimum experience required in practice; for a magistrate court it’s 10 years, High Court 15 years, and Supreme court 20 years.
The presentation to students by Prof. Oloka-Onyango ended on a good note, and students proceeded to College of Health Sciences, Makerere University for a farmilialisation visit.
