Law Students Graduate During The 1st Session Of The 71st Graduation Ceremony

A total of 25 Master of Laws and 286 Bachelor of law graduands were part of the 12,550 graduands awarded degrees and diplomas of Makerere University in various disciplines during the 71^st Graduation ceremony that ran from 17^th to 21st May 2021 at Freedom square.

The ceremony was presided over by the Chancellor Makerere University and the Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs Janet Kataaha Museveni was chief Guest.

In a statement read by Mr. John Chrysestom Muyingo  State Minister for Higher Education, Mrs. Janet Kataaha Museveni congratulated the graduands, the staff of Makerere University and the parents for the efforts put into preparing the students despite the COVID 19 challenges.  She said Government is committed to continue investing in ICT infrastructure as one of the ways to ensure that distance learning is entrenched as an option in teaching.  She further congratulated Makerere University for the ground breaking research over the past period which was transitioning the University into realizing its objective of being research led.

She pledged Government commitment towards continued support to Makerere University, which she described as a pioneer in higher education in the country trough mobilizing funds for salaries and other support.

The Chancellor Makerere University Dr. Ezra Suruma congratulated Makerere University for the distinguished awards in the past year which he said, had consolidated the university’s global reputation as a leading research institution. He paid special recognition to staff and faculty for the excellent work done in preparing the students until their graduation. He expressed optimism, that the graduating students would have a transformative impact on the future of Uganda, the East African region and the entire Universe.

A total of 12,550 graduands were awarded degrees and diplomas of Makerere University in various, with females constituting 51% and males 49%.  According to the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the higher percentage of female graduands was due to the University policies aimed at promoting access to higher education for the girl child and to end historical imbalances in education, adding that Makerere University had maintained a lead in gender mainstreaming on the African Continent and globally.

The Vice chancellor said a lot has been realized in the first year of implementing the new Strategic Plan (2020-2030).   A number of innovations were registered out of the UGX 30 billion allocated by the Government for Research and Innovation, citing the contribution to the fight against COVID-19 made by Makerere University nationally and internationally.

While highlighting the achievements realized in 2019/2020 Prof. Nawangwe said The School of Law, one of the best on the African continent, had excelled in the provision of legal services to the under-privileged members of our society through its Public Interest Law Clinic (PILAC), the Refugee Law Project and the Human Rights and Peace Centre (HURIPEC

He said PILAC had contributed tremendously towards promoting hands-on experiential learning as well as exposing students to real life cases of individuals confronted by the law in its varied manifestations.  He observed that Uganda being the second largest recipient of refugees globally, the refugee Law Project played a big role in providing legal support and research on refugee issues. HURIPEC on the other hand continued to consistently engage in events geared at promoting the understanding and respect for human rights, democratic governance and sustainable peace in the East Africa sub-region specifically and Africa generally through teaching, research, policy and advocacy.

In the area of Infrastructure development, the Vice Chancellor reported that the University had embarked on construction of a new lecture and administration building for the School of Law, which was expected to be complete in 2022/ 2023.

The 71st graduation ceremony of Makerere University where 108 received PhDs, 1160 Masters Degrees was historical being the first graduation to be held in the blended mode due to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 Pandemic.