By KT Reporter
Gulu University-Kotido Campus has announced its second mature age entry, despite facing high student dropout rates in its first year. The call for the second mature age entry comes after more than half of the students admitted in the first intake dropped out.
Ambrose Tolit, the Coordinator of Gulu University-Kotido Campus, revealed that 26 out of the 40 students admitted to courses in education, public administration, and management had dropped out. The primary reason for the high dropout rate was the inability to pay tuition fees.
Available information indicates that the new campus received only 200 study applications, with fewer than 150 applicants paying the application fees. Tolit, who was mobilizing communities at Christ Church Cathedral, Church of Uganda Diocese of North Karamoja in Kotido Municipality, stated that the campus has the capacity to admit up to 1,000 students.
The campus currently offers two programs: the Bachelor of Public Administration and Management, which is run over weekend sessions, and the Bachelor of Arts in Education-Primary, which is conducted during the holidays. Rt. Rev. Simon Aisu Akol, the Bishop of North Karamoja Diocese, encouraged Christians to take advantage of the university to further their education.
“I am happy for the mature age entry program. If it weren’t for the mature entry program, I wouldn’t be your bishop today,” Bishop Aisu said, addressing hundreds of Christians who had gathered for morning service. He encouraged them to apply and benefit from the opportunity.
He also noted that the university’s presence in Kotido would particularly benefit teachers, helping them meet the 2030 deadline for acquiring degrees as set by the national teachers’ policy. Gulu University-Kotido Campus transitioned from Kotido Primary Teachers’ College (PTC) in February 2023, following approval by the Kotido District Council.
The campus was established to help upgrade teachers from Grade 3 to degree levels, in line with the 2019 national teachers’ policy. It is projected that the campus will benefit approximately 1,427 Grade 3 teachers across the Karamoja sub-region, as well as the neighboring Teso, Lango, and Acholi regions-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
